UK-flagged ship hijacked, UK sovereignty violated – this is a national shame. Demand government to act now.

Why this matters: The Madleen, a peaceful UK‑flagged boat organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, carrying Greta Thunberg, Liam Cunningham and other aid workers, was intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces in international waters on June 9, 2025. The crew have been taken hostage and the vessel is being redirected to Israel, while its symbolic cargo: baby formula, food and medical supplies has been conficcated— in violation of international laws.

The Israeli government has followed through on its threat, intercepting and boarding the UK-flagged vessel Madleen in international waters—an alarming breach of international law and UK sovereignty. As a UK citizen, you have both the right and the responsibility to demand that your government take immediate action to defend its flagged vessels, and uphold international law and human rights.

📌 Urgent steps for UK Citizens

Step 1: Find your MP’s email address by clicking the button below, then using the search bar on the table, by typing your MP or constituency name. Copy the email address once found.

Step 2: Go onto your email and in the “To” section paste your MP’s email address. Also copy and paste the following email addresses into the “To” section (you may need to copy and paste each one individually):

Step 3: Now scroll all the way down and copy the template message, then paste it into the email you were drafting. Feel free to adjust it.

Step 4: Add your name and postcode at the end.

Step 5: Do not forget to add a subject! Please create your own subject line so identical messages aren’t filtered as spam. Ensure you add a strong tone of urgency, e.g. along the lines of, but not identical to: “URGENT ACTION REQUIRED: UK-Flagged Aid Ship Attacked – Silence Is Complicity”.

Step 6: Click send once all is checked and completed.

Step 7: Share this campaign across all of your social media & to all of your family and friends!

Step 8: Call the following number:

• Foreign Office – 020 7008 5000

Summarise the issue to them and outline the demands in the email template, explaining the urgency.

Step 9: Tag and/or contact your MP on their social media accounts to further grab their attention.

Step 10: Lastly go to this page and fill out the form, in order for this message to also reach the Prime Minister’s office. Copy and paste the template message below in the “Message” box and follow Step 5 too.

Template message to copy and paste onto your email:

Dear MP/ Prime Minister/ Foreign Secretary,

I write with urgent alarm regarding the recent brutal Israeli attack on the Madleen, a UK-flagged civilian vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, attempting to deliver critical humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Despite sailing in international waters, the Madleen was violently intercepted by Israeli forces. Activists aboard reported that drones sprayed a white chemical irritant with a strong smell causing severe eye pain and respiratory distress. This substance was clearly used to harm peaceful, unarmed civilians. At the same time, Israel jammed all radio communications, cutting off the ship’s connection to the outside world, and ordered activists to turn off their phones—an obvious attempt to prevent documentation of these grave violations. Psychological warfare was also employed: disturbing sounds were broadcast over radio channels to intimidate and destabilize those on board.

Following the Israeli attack, the crew and activists have been kinapped nd taken hostage by Israeli authorities. We have no information about what will happen to them next, raising serious concerns for their safety and rights. However, Israeli authorities have shared a propaganda video of them handing out sandwiches and bottles to the activists, yet it shamelessly starves 2.1 million Palestinians in Gaza to death, with at least 57 children killed by malnutrition. They have done so to avoid condemnation for the unlawful, horrific actions they did outlined in the paragraph above.

Furthermore, Israels’s defence minister, in a statement on X, said he has instructed the military to screen a video documenting the October 7 attack for the detained activists upon their arrival at Israel’s Ashdod Port.

Israeli officials have confirmed that the Madleen is being forced to sail to the port of Ashdod—far from Gaza—effectively confiscating vital humanitarian aid and breaching international law. Israel had no legal or moral right to stop this UK-flagged vessel in international waters. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the UK retains full jurisdiction and protection obligations over the Madleen. Israel’s actions violate UK sovereignty and international maritime law.

The Madleen was carrying infant formula, medical supplies, water desalination kits, and prosthetics—all urgently needed by Gaza’s civilian population suffering catastrophic conditions under blockade and ongoing genocide.

As of the latest update, Israel is now set to isolate the kidnapped peace activists at the Givon prison in Ramle. The extremist National Security Minister Ben Gvir also ordered a ban on communication devices, televisions, radios and any display of Palestinian symbols. The level of this barbarism and violation of all moral grounds is incomprehensible, why are unarmed activists sailing on a UK-flagged ship being treated like this? And fundamentally, why is the UK government silent on these atrocities?

We demand that the UK government immediately:

• 1. apologises for their lack of earlier public warning to Israel against intercepting the UK-flagged vessel, and for its failure to deploy aerial escort from the Cyprus airbase.

• 2. issues a swift, clear public condemnation of Israel’s illegal attack on the Madleen.

• 3. holds Israel accountable for these flagrant violations of international law and humanitarian principles.

• 4. imposes immediate sanctions, arms embargoes, and suspend all aid that could fuel further crimes.

• 5. takes urgent diplomatic and protective measures to ensure the safety and release of the detained crew and activists.

• 6. ends hypocrisy by fully suspending arms sales to Israel, not merely issuing empty statements. The UK condemned Israel’s actions and froze trade talks—yet quietly sent a trade envoy to boost business ties. Lammy issued a so-called ban on arms exports to Israel, until a study revealed the UK had sent thousands of military items despite the ban.

The UK must stop enabling these crimes through its alliance, silence and inaction. This is a pivotal moment to stand for international law, human rights, and British sovereignty. The world is watching. The UK must act decisively — now.

Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Postcode]

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