International relief NGOs rebuke Israeli attack

Jeremy Hobbs, the executive director of the London-based Oxfam International, told Today’s Zaman that Oxfam condemns any use of violence and loss of life that occurred when the Israeli navy intercepted the largest vessel in a six-ship flotilla, adding that Oxfam has no connection to the Gaza aid convoy. Noting that 1.5 million Gazans, most of whom are civilians, have been living under an Israeli blockade for three years and are in need of the supplies and relief items on the boats, including cement to rebuild homes destroyed during Operation Cast Lead, medical items such as wheelchairs and materials to repair failing water systems. Oxfam official said this particular incident could have been prevented if Israel and the international community had worked effectively together to lift the blockade of the occupied territory, which would provide a structural, long-term solution to the humanitarian needs of the Gazan people. “The blockade of Gaza has widely been condemned as collective punishment, which is illegal under international law,” Hobbs said.

Islamic Relief and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) were not immediately available to comment on the attack.

The coalition of the Free Gaza Movement (FG), the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG), the Humanitarian Aid Foundation (İHH), the Perdana Global Peace Organization, the Ship to Gaza-Greece, the Ship to Gaza-Sweden and the International Committee to Lift the Siege on Gaza appealed to the international community to demand that Israel stop its brutal attack on civilians delivering needed aid to Gaza.

Tekin Küçükali, chairman of the Turkish Red Crescent, said the armed raid on ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza in international waters caused deep sorrow in the international community.

“The Turkish Red Crescent is ready to fulfill all kinds of responsibilities to carry 600 civilians and injured passengers to hospitals and safe places by ambulance planes, ships and ambulance helicopters.”

Greta Berlin, a spokeswoman for the Free Gaza Movement, said Israel’s actions were disproportionate. “We are civilians,” she said. “Do they think that because they can attack Palestinians indiscriminately they can attack anyone?” she stated.

London-based Stop the War Coalition (STWC) staged a protest in London and described the Israeli attack against the aid convoy as yet another act of Israeli barbarism as its forces stormed one of the six ships part of the international flotilla taking aid to Gaza, where Israel’s illegal blockade is starving Palestinians of essential resources.

The United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, said on Monday that she was shocked that the aid flotilla was “met with violence.”

Criticizing the Gaza siege, Pillay said she is shocked by reports that humanitarian aid was met with violence early this morning, reportedly resulting in deaths and injuries as the boat convoy approached the Gaza coast.

“The current situation falls far short of what is necessary for the population to lead normal and dignified lives,” she noted.

International medical relief organization Doctors Worldwide on Monday strongly rebuked Israel’s reckless attack on the fleet.

In a written statement released by the organization, Doctors Worldwide said the ship was carrying a “white flag” and there were women, children and elders from different countries. The statement described the Israeli attack as illegal and ruthless.

In a statement where it said that the materials and items on the ships were declared to be only humanitarian and that the primary intention of the convoy was to take humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, Doctors Worldwide said Israeli Sea Forces illegally attacked the flotilla in international waters. The statement also mentioned that there cannot be an embargo on humanitarian aid according to the Geneva Convention.

Russia’s Council of Muftis has expressed indignation over Israel’s naval attack, the Russian Interfax news agency reported.

“The humanitarian convoy was barbarically attacked in a robust measure, which has nothing to do with the convoy’s peaceful mission,” deputy head of the Spiritual Muslim Board for Russia’s European part, Damir Gizatullin, stated.

“All of us must protest against the Israeli government’s barbaric actions. The time has come to end the bloodshed,” he said. “This problem must find a legal and political solution.”

Gizatullin said the UN Security Council must be called to make the Israeli leadership answer fully for destroying a humanitarian convey in neutral waters.