NEW DELHI, June 9: Left parties on Monday condemned Israel for intercepting the yacht carrying Greta Thunberg and others with humanitarian aid for Gaza.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary M A Baby said the safety of the yacht should be ensured, and aid should be allowed to Gaza.
“CPIM condemns the Israeli govt for intercepting the yacht carrying Greta Thunberg and 12 others with humanitarian aid to Gaza,” Baby said in a post on X.
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“The safety of the yacht has to be ensured and aid allowed to Gaza,” he said.
Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, in a statement, said attacking a civilian humanitarian mission in international waters is a blatant violation of international law.
“Attacking a civilian humanitarian mission in international waters is a blatant violation of international law, including the principles protecting freedom of navigation and the delivery of humanitarian aid during armed conflict. This illegal act is part of Israel’s ongoing genocidal policy of collective punishment and siege against the Palestinian people,” CPI(ML) said.
The CPI(ML) said it was not an isolated incident, and in 2010, Israel attacked the ship Mavi Marmara, killing 10 aid workers.
“Again and again, Israel has responded to peaceful humanitarian efforts with military force. Earlier in May this year, another humanitarian ship, Handala, part of the flotilla, was attacked by an explosive drone near Malta in international waters,” the Left party said.
They demanded the immediate release of all those detained.
“Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation stands in full solidarity with the people of Gaza and with the brave international volunteers who risked their lives to break the blockade. We demand the immediate release of all those detained and an end to the genocidal war and inhuman siege of Gaza,” they said.
Enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory, Israeli forces stopped the Gaza-bound aid boat early Monday and detained Thunberg and other activists onboard.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organised the voyage to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip and protest Israel’s blockade and wartime conduct, said the activists had been “kidnapped by Israeli forces” and released pre-recorded messages from them. (PTI)
