ISRAEL HASVIOLATED INTERNATIONAL LAW

Background
Palestine Our Destination Humanitarian Aid
Our Load flotilla of ships set out in May to break
the four-year long Israeli blockade on Gaza and
to open a humanitarian aid corridor for the 1.5
million Gazan people, one million of which live in
refugee camps.
On the 31 May morning, the Israeli military at-
tacked in the Mediterranean Sea in international
waters the flotilla that included more than 600
citizens of 36 countries with different languages
and ideologies. Nine humanitarian aid volunteers
were killed and 54 were injured in the attack.

“International law was violated;

Gaza embargo is unlawful!”
The United Nations released the result of an
investigation it launched in August following the
Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara boat. The UN
Human Rights Council Fact-finding Mission stated
that Israel violated international law, including “in-
ternational human rights law.” The UN described
the Israel’s attack on the flotilla was “dispropor-
tionate” and “unacceptably brutal” and called the
embargo imposed on Gaza unlawful.
Crimes Committed in Israeli Attack
The UN report stated that evidence clearly
showed Israel had committed the crimes listed
in article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The crimes stated in the Geneva Convention and
that were perpetrated by Israel are as follows:
• Willful killing,
• Torture,
• Inhuman treatment,
• Willfully causing suffering to health,
• Causing serious injury.

The report also said Israel repeatedly violated its

obligations under international human rights law
as per the following articles:
• Right to life (article 6, ICCPR / International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights)
• Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrad-
ing treatment or punishment (article 7, ICCPR;
CAT/ Convention against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Pun-
ishment)

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 • Right to liberty and security of the person made an impression that they are imbued with a
and freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention deep and genuine concern for the welfare of the
(article 9, ICCPR) inhabitants of Gaza.
• right of detainees to be treated with human- • Humanitarian organizations wishing to inter-
ity and respect for the inherent dignity of the vene in long-standing humanitarian crisis situations
human person (article 10, ICCPR) where the international community is unwilling
• Freedom of expression (article 19, ICCPR) to take constructive action are accused of being
“terrorist” or “enemy agents.”
Some of the points highlighted • Israel committed another offense by unlaw-
in the UN report: fully confiscating personal property of the passen-
• Israel violated international law, including gers.
international human rights law. • Damage inflicted by the attack should be
• Israeli soldiers’ treatment of the passengers is compensated.
near brutal.
• The illegal and unlawful embargo on Gaza is
unsustainable and should be removed.
• The intervention on the Mavi Marmara is
unlawful.
• The punishment of civilian population in
Gaza is unlawful no matter on what grounds it is
based.
• The Israeli government declined coopera-
tion with the investigation into the incident that
involved Israeli soldiers.
• The flotilla members genuinely committed
themselves to the spirit of humanitarianism and

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Report to be Used as Proof at Courts
The IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation held
a press conference after the UN Fact-finding
Mission released its report on the Mavi Mar-
mara attack. IHH President Bülent Yıldırım, Cihat
Gökdemir, head of Mazlumder Istanbul Branch
and lawyer of the deceased victims, Derya
Kılıçlar, wife of Cevdet Kılıçlar, one of the killed in
the Israeli raid, Refika Yıldırım, wife of deceased
Necdet Yıldırım, and her three-year old daughter
Melek, Aytek Topçuoğlu, son of deceased Çetin
Topçuoğlu, and Murat Akinan, a activist who sur-
vived the attack attended the press conference.
IHH Leader
Yıldırım said
Activists heading for Gaza
“apology and
The UK-based Viva Palestina organization is
compensation”
organizing a land convoy to support the people
would not be
of Gaza. The 50-vehicle convoy departed Britain
enough and
on September 18. There are activists from Britain,
demanded
the United States, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand,
murderer Israel
Australia, France, Italy, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco,
be tried and
Algeria and Jordan in the convoy. The convoy that
the embargo
is carrying vehicles, medical materials, medications
lifted, noting
and foodstuffs to Palestine is expected to reach
the UN report
Gaza in mid-October. The IHH Humanitarian
would be sub-
Relief Foundation is executing Turkey leg of the
mitted as proof
convoy that reached Turkey on September 27.
at every court.

Click for original English text of report.

Click for conclusion section of the report in Turkish.

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