The Hamas terror organization published a statement condemning what it called "the pirate crime committed by the occupying forces, by commandeering the Madleen solidarity ship in international waters and forcefully preventing it from reaching the Gaza Strip, towing it to the Ashdod port, and arresting the activists who were on the ship
It also stated that "the commandeering of the Madleen in the middle of the sea and preventing it from transferring symbolic aid to the Palestinian people who face a genocide is organized state terrorism and a flagrant violation of international law."