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GENEVA

UN experts on Monday called for the protection of a ship operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which departed Italy on Sunday carrying food, medical supplies, and baby items bound for Gaza.

"Aid is desperately needed for the people of Gaza to forestall annihilation, and this initiative is a symbolic and powerful effort to deliver it," the experts said in a joint statement. "Israel should remember that the world is watching closely and refrain from any act of hostility against the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and its passengers."

They emphasized the legal right of Palestinians to receive aid through their own territorial waters, and of the vessel to navigate freely in international waters.

"Israel must not interfere with its freedom of navigation, long recognised under international law," they said.

The experts voiced concern for the safety of those on board, referencing a previous Freedom Flotilla ship reportedly bombed by a drone off Malta's coast in early May.

They said Israel has enforced a complete blockade on Gaza for 17 years, intensifying it since March 2, with aid almost entirely cut off for over 80 days.

"As the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s ship approaches Palestinian territorial waters off Gaza, Israel must adhere to international law and comply with orders from the International Court of Justice to ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian aid," the experts said.

They condemned the use of aid as a weapon of war and accused the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation -- backed by Israel and the US -- of violating principles of neutrality and humanity.

Calling the current situation "the most horrific" phase of Gaza's crisis, the experts urged the UN General Assembly to authorize peacekeepers under the Uniting for Peace mechanism.

"Member States have a legal obligation and a moral imperative to stop starvation and genocide in Gaza," they said.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing over 54,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's more than 2 million population.