Amnesty says Israel's Madleen interception is illegal

Amnesty International has branded the Israeli navy's interception of the Gaza-bound aid ship Madleen illegal.

"By forcibly intercepting and blocking the Madleen, Israel has once again ignored its legal obligations towards civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip," Amnesty said in a statement posted to its social media accounts.

"The crew were unarmed activists and human rights defenders on a humanitarian mission," the human rights group said, as it called on them to be "released immediately and unconditionally".

Amnesty said that rather than ensure, as the occupying power, that the people of Gaza had access to food, medicine and other supplies, Israel "consistently and deliberately impeded the provision of impartial humanitarian assistance for civilians in desperate need".

The rights group said that while the Madleen had "emerged as a powerful symbol of solidarity" with Palestinians in Gaza, "this very mission is also an indictment of the international community's failure to put an end to Israel's inhumane blockade".