Malta bans Israel-bound ship from entering its waters over Gaza carnage fears

Malta has banned an Israel-bound ship from entering its waters over fears the vessel's cargo could be used in the war on Gaza.

Pro-Palestine activists called on Valetta to bar the MV Kathin from docking in Maltese ports, saying doing so could contravene obligations under the Genocide Convention.

Israel has killed at least 41,900 people in its one-year war on Gaza, the vast majority civilians, leading to widespread accusations that it was committing a genocide against the Palestinian population in the enclave.

The MV Kathrin is flying under the Portuguese flag and believed to be carrying explosive materials, according to rights groups, with Namibia blocking access to the ship due to the alleged cargo. The New Arab cannot independently verify the claims. 

Seamen on the ship had requested entry to a port in Malta for a crew change before heading to its destination but a Maltese government spokesperson said Valetta would not allow this or for the MV Kathrin to bunker at its ports, according to the Times of Malta.

The ban comes after requests from UN Special Rapporteur for Palestine Francesca Albanese for states to respect the Genocide Convention following the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling earlier in January about possible genocide being carried out by Israel in Gaza.

"I implore the Malta government, who has regularly taken a principled stand on Palestine, to act and stop the vessel from advancing," Albanese said.

In August, she revealed that eight containers worth of explosives were onboard the vessel that could be used to manufacture munitions that are eventually used in Gaza, which has seen a massive civilian death toll, including thousands of children.

"Any military transfer to Israel, which the ICJ determined may be plausibly committing genocide, amounts to a breach of the Genocide Convention and of the [Human Rights Council] resolution 55/L.30 mandating an arms embargo on Israel," she said.

Maltese political party Moviment Graffitti demanded the government ban the entry of the ship, writing a letter to both Prime Minister Robert Abela and Minister for Transport Chris Bonnett.

"To do otherwise would not only be a contravention to Common Article 1 of the Geneva Convention, but also a grave act of complicity in a genocide that has now seen the murder of over 42,600 Palestinians, of which at least 16,765 were children," the letter read.

An ICJ ruling in January found it was plausible that Israel was committing a genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.

Further, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian Territories.