Supervisory Committee of the Omar Al-Mokhtar Vessel
For Immediate Release
Headline:
Israel’s Armed Seizure of Humanitarian Vessel Omar Al-Mokhtar is an Act of Piracy and a War Crime
Tripoli, Libya – Thursday, October 2, 2025
The Supervisory Committee of the Omar Al-Mokhtar humanitarian vessel condemns in the strongest terms the armed assault carried out this morning by Israeli forces in international waters, approximately 50 nautical miles from the coast of occupied Palestine. The ship, carrying only unarmed civilian volunteers committed to nonviolence and humanitarian principles, was violently seized in a flagrant violation of international law.
This attack is not an isolated incident: it is part of Israel’s ongoing policy of collective punishment against Gaza’s 2.2 million civilians, now enduring genocide under a suffocating 18-year blockade. By intercepting a peaceful humanitarian mission, Israel has once again criminalized solidarity, silenced witnesses, and exposed the lengths to which it will go to enforce its apartheid system.
The Committee has received confirmation from the legal team in London that participants are being transferred under Israeli custody. We demand their immediate release, an end to any discriminatory or abusive treatment, and full accountability for this brazen act of piracy against a civilian vessel in international waters.
Dr. Abdelmoneim Harisha, spokesperson for the Committee, said:
“This was not a security operation. It was a war crime. Israel’s military stormed a ship whose only cargo was hope, food, medicine, and the courage of ordinary people standing up to genocide. The detention of these peaceful activists strips away Israel’s façade of legality and puts the burden squarely on governments and international institutions that enable these crimes.”
The Supervisory Committee calls on the United Nations, international human rights bodies, and all states to condemn this unlawful attack, demand the release of the detained civilians, and take urgent measures to end Israel’s blockade of Gaza — a blockade that constitutes a crime against humanity.
The Committee will hold a press conference today, Thursday, at 18:00 in Algeria Square, Tripoli, to provide further legal and organizational updates.