LONDON

The British government wants to see Israel resolve the situation around the Gaza-bound aid ship Madleen, intercepted by Israel, "safely with restraint."

During a Downing Street briefing, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's official spokesperson told reporters that they want to see the situation over Israel's interception of the aid ship and detention of activists on board "safely with restraint, in line with international humanitarian law."

Early Monday, the British-flagged ship Madleen was intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces before reaching Gaza. It was later towed to an Israeli port.

Before Israel's interception, various non-governmental organizations called on the British government to publicly state their position against any Israeli intervention in international waters.

"We have made clear our position in relation to the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The PM has called it appalling and intolerable," said the spokesperson as reported by the BBC.

The spokesperson said unimpeded entry of assistance at scale "to meet the enormous needs in Gaza is critical."

A total of 12 people went on the aid mission, including 11 activists and one journalist.

Activists aboard the aid ship include Yasemin Acar from Germany; Baptiste Andre, Pascal Maurieras, Yanis Mhamdi, and Reva Viard from France; Thiago Avila from Brazil; Suayb Ordu from Türkiye; Sergio Toribio from Spain; Marco van Rennes from the Netherlands; and Omar Faiad, a journalist with Al Jazeera Mubasher, also from France; and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan is also among those detained by Israel.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition sent Madleen from Sicily, Italy, to break the blockade in Gaza and deliver aid.

The ship is carrying urgently needed supplies for the people of Gaza, including baby formula, flour, rice, diapers, women’s sanitary products, water desalination kits, medical supplies, crutches, and children’s prosthetics, according to its organizers.

As Israel has continued to close all Gaza’s border crossings to humanitarian aid since early March, aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among Gaza’s 2.4 million population.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.