In a statement, the organization said that these attacks constitute targeting of civilians and civilian objects, and that “if carried out intentionally or recklessly, they are considered a war crime.” It stressed that the five ships are not military objects and are all commercial ships with civilian crews on board, stressing that the Houthis did not provide any evidence. On what could constitute military dignitaries on board these ships.
The statement quoted Michael Page, the organization's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, as saying: “The Houthis claim that they are carrying out attacks in the name of the Palestinians, but in reality they are attacking civilian crews who have no connection at all to any known military target, detaining them arbitrarily, and exposing them to danger.”
The Houthis – according to the organization – must immediately release the hostages and end their attacks on civilians who are in the crosshairs of their declared war on Israel.
While the Houthi militia has not yet released the 25-person crew of the Galaxy Leader cargo ship, the organization stated that it spoke to sources and informed them that it is not clear whether the crew members are being held hostage or arbitrarily, since the Houthis have not explained the reason for their continued detention.
Human Rights Watch reminded the Houthi militia that international humanitarian law prohibits the taking of hostages, which is a war crime under “Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions of 1949.” She explained that holding hostages is detaining a person with the threat of killing or wounding him, or continuing to detain him to pressure a third party to do something or refrain from doing something, as a condition for releasing the hostage or preserving her safety.
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