As members of Comhlámh, we stand in steadfast solidarity with the crew of the Madleen, a vessel of conscience and courage, intercepted in international waters by the Israeli military on Monday. The Madleen, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, carried not only life-sustaining aid – baby formula, food, and medical supplies – but also the hopes of countless people around the world who refuse to turn away from the suffering in Palestine.
The ship was unarmed, its mission peaceful. Yet it was boarded with force, its crew of international volunteers abducted, and its precious cargo confiscated. As human rights attorney and Freedom Flotilla organiser, Huwaida Arraf, reminds us:
“Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen. This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the ICJ’s binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza. These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalised for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade – their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end immediately.”
At this moment, as Gaza continues to endure the horrors of collective punishment and the unfathomable grief of a people under siege, we affirm the sanctity of every human life. We honour the moral clarity and courageous compassion of those who sail toward suffering, not to save, but to accompany, to witness, and to insist that another world is possible.
We call for the immediate and unconditional release of the rest of Madleen’s crew, and for Israel to end the illegal blockade that starves Gaza not only of food and medicine, but of dignity and breath. We denounce all forms of violence and intimidation directed at humanitarian workers, civilians and those who stand in solidarity with besieged communities. In doing so, we align ourselves with a tradition of global solidarity rooted in justice, in grief that refuses silence, and in love that refuses borders.
Let this not be merely a call, but a commitment to act, to speak, and to remember that solidarity is not a sentiment, but a shared practice of resistance, hope, and profound care.
Palestine is being subjected to a campaign of annihilation through relentless bombardment, displacement, and the deliberate use of starvation as a weapon of war. The blocking of aid, the targeting of civilians and of those who seek to care for them, forms part of an ongoing genocide. We name this for what it is, and we refuse complicity through silence.
Our collective humanity demands not neutrality, but witness and action. In this spirit, we align ourselves with all who resist the machinery of dispossession and death, and who carry forward a vision rooted in justice, dignity, and an uncompromising love for life.
Solidarity is not charity – it is a shared struggle, a bond forged in the belief that all people deserve to live in safety, freedom, and peace. We honour the Madleen Crew for embodying this truth, and we recommit ourselves to standing with Palestine – not only in word, but in deed.
NOTE: At the time of writing, 4 of the 12 abducted from international waters have been deported, while 8 remain unjustly detained, and we must keep the pressure on. Please follow the Freedom Flotilla Coalition for updates.