The Hind Rjab Organization (HRF) filed a complaint with the War Crimes Unit of the British Metropolitan Police against the commander of Shayetet 13, who led the seizure of the Handala ship, Walla reported on Monday.
The pro-Palestinian organization urged London to take action to seize the British-flagged vessel under the argument that its detention was made in international waters.
The HRF claimed that the Handala was about 49 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza, meaning it was in international waters, outside of the blockade area declared by Israel. It also claimed that the passengers on board were unarmed civilians.
The lawsuit aims to not only detain the commander of Shayetet 13, the IDF special unit that seized the aid ship, but also “any officials in the Israeli military and government who may have authorized the operation, planned it, or assisted in it."
The Hind Rjab Organization called for the British authorities to immediately open a criminal investigation into the operation, identify and interrogate all passengers, especially British citizens, and take legal action against any political or military figure responsible for the raid.
The Shayetet 13 operation to seize the Handala
The Israel Navy intercepted the Handala, the IDF and the Foreign Ministry announced last Saturday night. The boat, with all its passengers, was en route to Gaza.
According to Channel 12, those aboard the flotilla reported seeing a drone circling above them as vessels approached the ship.
The legal aid group Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel – sent a letter to authorities last Sunday morning demanding the whereabouts of the activists on the Handala and emphasizing their right to legal counsel.
On Saturday evening, Huwaida Arraf, an activist on board, said in an update that “Two vessels, probably the IDF, are very close to Handala. Attempts were made to contact the Israeli Navy – but no response was received.”
As a precaution, the ship reportedly changed its course to go south toward Egypt.