Israel Abducts Gaza Aid Ship Madleen, Activists Taken to Israel (image:x.com/yousef_ki1)
Early Monday, Israeli forces intercepted and abducted the Gaza-bound aid boat ‘Madleen’ in international waters. The crew, including activist Greta Thunberg, was on board. Contact with the yacht was lost after forces reportedly demanded that everyone on board turn off their phones, according to Al Jazeera. The ship was about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from Gaza when it was intercepted
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed their intervention and stated that the Madleen was being taken to Israel’s Ashdod port. MFA has also shared the video of the detained crew.
“The “selfie yacht” of the “celebrities” is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,” Ministry said in post on X.
Also Read | Madleen Culab: The Gazan Woman Who Inspired The Flotilla Vessel
The “selfie yacht” of the “celebrities” is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries.
While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included… pic.twitter.com/eEZSJJHVfd
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025
Ministry earlier claimed that Madleen is not carrying a meaningful amount of aid to the Gaza Strip, and brushed off it as a “media gimmick for publicity.”
The Madleen, a charity vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, had departed from Sicily last week with humanitarian aid for Gaza, aiming to protest Israel’s nearly two-year blockade and wartime conduct.
According to organisers, the aid 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.
As events spiraled, Greta Thunberg’s prerecorded video seeking international help appeared on social media. “If you see this video, we are being intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel,” she said.
Also Read | Israel To Seize ‘Madleen’ Aid Ship En Route To Gaza, May Arrest Activists Onboard: Report
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, on Sunday, instructed the military to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, emphasizing that Israel would not permit anyone to breach Gaza’s naval blockade. He further described the activists as “anti-Semitic” and the group as “Hamas propaganda mouthpieces”.
The 12 activists in the vessel are Baptiste Andre, Greta Thunberg, Marco van Rennes, Omar Faiad, Pascal Maurieras, Reva Viard, Rima Hassan, Sergio Toribio, Suayb Ordu, Thiago Avila, Yanis Mhamdi, and Yasemin Acar.
