The Hind Rajab Foundation has said that it had lodged a formal war crimes complaint with the Metropolitan Police War Crimes Unit in the UK, accusing the Israeli Navy of serious violations of international law during its recent interception of a Gaza-bound humanitarian ship flying the British flag.
The complaint focuses on Israel's Shayetet 13 naval unit and Vice Admiral David Saar Salama, commander-in-chief of the Israeli Navy.
It relates to the Israeli raid that took place on 8-9 June on the Madleen, a civilian vessel carrying aid to Gaza that the foundation says was more than 60 nautical miles off the coast in international waters when it was attacked by Israeli forces.
According to the Belgium-based non-profit organisation, the Madleen was "legally considered an extension of UK territory", making the raid a potential breach of both British and international law.
"The Hind Rajab Foundation strongly calls on the United Kingdom to fulfil its legal responsibilities and immediately intervene to secure the unconditional release of the abducted activists who remain unlawfully detained in Israel," the organisation said in a statement. "Their freedom is a matter of urgent humanitarian and legal concern."
The foundation said it filed the complaint under several UK and international legal frameworks, including the Geneva Conventions Act 1957, the International Criminal Court Act 2001, and Section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, which prohibits torture.
It accuses Israeli forces "of grave breaches of international humanitarian law, war crimes, and violations of UK jurisdiction," the organisation said.
Key allegations include "the unlawful use of chemical irritants from drones, forcible detention and incommunicado confinement of 12 unarmed civilians, denial of legal and consular access, confiscation of humanitarian aid and personal belongings, and degrading and inhuman treatment."
The British-flagged ship arrived at Israel’s port of Ashdod on Monday evening under military escort after it was intercepted earlier by the Israeli Navy while sailing towards Gaza to challenge the Israeli blockade.
Israeli naval boats had surrounded the ship, and live footage showed Israeli soldiers ordering the passengers to raise their hands. Drones flew overhead and sprayed a white, unidentified substance onto the deck.
The seizure came after Israel had issued warnings that any attempt to breach its naval blockade would be considered "unlawful".
Part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the aid ship had a 12 crew on board, including French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan.
On 2 May, a ship also organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition — Conscience — was attacked by an Israeli drone as it approached Gaza. The strike punctured the hull and ignited a fire in its bow.
The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued its genocide against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 55,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Last November the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
