From 9h ago 05.54 BST Israel’s defence minister says Madleen passengers will be shown video of 7 October attacks Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, has congratulated the Israeli army on the “quick and safe takeover” of the Madleen , the Gaza-bound aid vessel. Confirming that the passengers onboard – including climate activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan – will be transported to the port of Ashdod, Katz added that he had instructed the IDF to “show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre.” Referring to Thunberg personally, as well as the other activists on board, Katz said he wanted them to “see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organization they came to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself.” The current war in Gaza began after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023 that killed more than 1,200 people, according to an Israeli tally. Gaza’s health ministry says over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of that campaign. Share Updated at 06.17 BST

4m ago 14.53 BST Israeli government spokesman David Mencer described the cargo on the Gaza aid boat as “meagre”. Labelling the ship as a “selfie yacht”, the spokesman claimed less than a truck’s worth of aid was onboard, but said that it would be sent in to Gaza. He said Israel had taken control of the vessel smoothly, adding that those aboard the vessel would be returned home to their countries as soon as possible. The Madleen said it was attempting to reach the shores of the territory to bring in a symbolic amount of aid and raise international awareness of the continuing humanitarian crisis. Share Updated at 14.54 BST

17m ago 14.41 BST Iran said on Monday it will soon present a counter-proposal on a nuclear deal with the US, after it had described Washington’s offer as containing “ambiguities”, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear accord to replace the deal with major powers that US president Donald Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. The longtime foes have been locked in a diplomatic standoff over Iran’s uranium enrichment, with Tehran defending it as a “non-negotiable” right and Washington describing it as a “red line”. On 31 May, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received “elements” of a US proposal, with Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi later saying the text contained “ambiguities”. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei criticised the US proposal as “lacking elements” reflective of the previous rounds of negotiations, without providing further details. “We will soon submit our own proposed plan to the other side through (mediator) Oman once it is finalised,” Baqaei told a weekly press briefing. “It is a proposal that is reasonable, logical and balanced, and we strongly recommend that the American side value this opportunity.” Iran’s parliament speaker has said the US proposal failed to include the lifting of sanctions – a key demand for Tehran, which has been reeling under their weight for years. Share

29m ago 14.28 BST Trump expected to speak to Netanyahu US president Donald Trump planned to speak with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, a White House official told Reuters.

The call comes as Trump has been trying to accelerate aid into Gaza and has been trying to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear program. Iran has said it will soon start releasing information from a hoard of Israeli nuclear secrets it claims to have obtained, as European countries push for a vote this week on reimposing UN sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme. The unverified claims by Iranian intelligence of a massive leak of Israeli secrets may be designed to turn the focus away from what Iran argues is its own excessively monitored civil nuclear programme. Share

45m ago 14.13 BST Jo-Ann Mort Jo-Ann Mort is co-author of Our Hearts Invented a Place: Can Kibbutzim Survive in Today’s Israel? She writes frequently about Israel for US, UK, and Israeli publications. Emmanuel Macron has become enemy No 1 for the Netanyahu government. That’s because the French president aims to create momentum for a Palestinian state beside Israel encompassing the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and the Gaza Strip, reviving what is fast becoming an out-of-reach possibility – a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians. That’s why Macron has earned the fury of an increasingly unhinged Israeli prime minister. France is expected to co-chair an organizing conference at the United Nations in New York in mid-June, taking advantage of heads of state already in North America for the Canadian-based G7 summit a few days earlier. He hopes this conference will include the all-important Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. Right now, it’s anyone’s guess whether the Saudis show up, as they calculate whether there is enough maneuverability on the Palestinian issue for them to expose themselves. I hope they show up – either at the foreign ministry level or, dramatically, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman himself as co-chair, as Macron initially envisioned. The reality is that with a far-right Israeli government and prime minister in the clutches of its most extreme elements, it’s urgently important for world leaders who want to maintain a two-state option to turn up and shout out. There is no more important figure right now for Macron to have by his side than Prince Mohammed, who could also help influence a US president who presently appears to have no consistent diplomatic strategy for Israel-Palestine. You can read more of Jo-Ann Mort’s opinion piece here: Macron must lead the EU push to end Israel’s war on Gaza Macron must lead the EU push to end Israel’s war on Gaza | Jo-Ann Mort Read more Share

1h ago 13.56 BST The Swedish foreign ministry said it was in contact with Israeli authorities. “Should the need for consular support arise, the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will assess how we can best help the Swedish citizen/Greta Thunberg resolve her situation,” a Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a written statement to Reuters. Share

1h ago 13.54 BST Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer has hit out at Greta Thunberg after her Gaza aid boat was detained. Speaking at a press conference, he addressed her directly and asked “who is really feeding Gaza and who is really feeding their own ego?”. Speaking in a typically combative style, Mencer went on: For the last two weeks alone, Israel has facilitated more than 1,200 trucks laden with aid to enter Gaza. The very latest figures from Gaza are that close to 11 million meals have been delivered directly to Gazans. To those that really do wish to get real aid to Gaza, there are proper, organised channels. Share

2h ago 13.01 BST Palestinians flee their homes after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders, in Jabalia. View image in fullscreen Palestinians flee their homes after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders, in Jabalia. Photograph: Mahmoud Issa/Reuters Share

3h ago 12.18 BST Patrick Wintour Iran has said it will soon start releasing information from a hoard of Israeli nuclear secrets it claims to have obtained, as European countries push for a vote this week on reimposing UN sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme. The unverified claims by Iranian intelligence of a massive leak of Israeli secrets may be designed to turn the focus away from what Iran argues is its own excessively monitored civil nuclear programme. On Sunday, Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, claimed Tehran had obtained “a vast collection of strategic and sensitive [Israeli] documents, including plans and data on the nuclear facilities”. He added evidence would be released shortly, and implied some of the documentation was linked to Israel’s arrest of two Israeli nationals, Roi Mizrahi and Almog Attias, over alleged spying for Iran. Even within Iran there is scepticism that Iranian agents could have obtained such dramatic intelligence. The claim may be designed to warn off Israel from acting on its repeated threat to bomb Iran’s nuclear sites since Iranian insight into Israel’s own nuclear programme would increase the risk of effective Iranian reprisals. European powers are preparing to press for a vote at the quarterly board meeting of the nuclear inspectorate the IAEA in Vienna, which starts on Monday, that could lead to the reimposition of UN sanctions in October. France, Germany and the UK will cite a 20-page comprehensive report commissioned from the IAEA secretariat on Iran’s failure to comply with the nuclear deal agreed in 2015, and Tehran’s years-long failure to answer questions about aspects of its previous nuclear programme. Iran says it will release Israeli nuclear secrets as pressure grows to reimpose sanctions Read more Share

3h ago 11.54 BST France on Monday said it would work to ensure the rapid return home of French citizens aboard a boat carrying aid bound for Gaza that was intercepted by Israeli security forces, AFP reported. President Emmanuel Macron has requested that the six French nationals aboard the Madleen “be allowed to return to France as soon as possible”, a presidential official said, asking not to be named, while foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that Paris would work “to facilitate their swift return to France”. Share

4h ago 11.19 BST Adalah, a rights group in Israel that said it was representing the activists, said Israel had “no legal authority” to take over the ship because it was in international waters and because it was headed not to Israel but to the “territorial waters of the state of Palestine”. “The arrest of the unarmed activists, who operated in a civilian manner to provide humanitarian aid, amounts to a serious breach of international law,” Adalah said in a statement, adding: Adalah demands the immediate disclosure of the activists’ location and legal status, and their access to legal counsel to enable legal representation before Israeli authorities and tribunals. Adalah will pursue legal actions to secure the activists’ safety and release. Share Updated at 11.20 BST

4h ago 11.04 BST 1:28 Israeli forces halt Gaza-bound aid yacht carrying Greta Thunberg – video Share

4h ago 10.42 BST An Israeli man confronts Israeli activists holding placards and waving Palestinian flags as they protest near the port of Ashdod, Israel. View image in fullscreen An Israeli man confronts Israeli activists holding placards and waving Palestinian flags as they protest near the port of Ashdod, Israel, 09 June 2025. Photograph: Abir Sultan/EPA Share

4h ago 10.28 BST Sam Jones Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s labour minister and one of the country’s three deputy prime ministers, has criticised Israel’s seizure of the boat and called for a “clear and firm response” from the EU. “I strongly condemn the seizure of the Madleen, which was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza,” she wrote on Bluesky. “This violation of international law demands a clear and firm response from the EU. All my solidarity to the volunteers who are being held. We call for their freeing as soon as possible. #AllEyesOnMadleen“ Spain’s socialist-led government has been one of the most outspoken European critics of Israel’s prosecution of its war in Gaza. Last month, Israel said it had summoned the Spanish ambassador for a formal reprimand after the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, described Israel as a “genocidal state”. Sánchez made the remarks during an exchange in the Spanish parliament in which his government was accused of continuing to trade with Israel. “I want to clarify one thing,” the prime minister said. “We don’t trade with a genocidal state. We don’t.” The prime minister has previously expressed “genuine doubts” about whether Israel was complying with international humanitarian law in its offensive in Gaza, while Díaz has said “the genocide of the Palestinian people cannot go unpunished”. Share

5h ago 09.57 BST Sam Jones Spain’s foreign ministry has summoned an Israeli diplomat to a meeting today in protest at the seizing of the Madleen, according to El País. A Spanish citizen, Sergio Toribio, is among the activists on the boat.

“The foreign ministry is in contact with the Spaniard in question, with his family and with the Israeli foreign ministry, and is exercising consular protection with regard to our citizen,” foreign ministry sources told the paper. A pre-recorded video posted on social media shows Toribio holding up his Spanish passport and saying: “My name is Segio Toribio from Spain. If you are seeing this video, we have been intercepted at sea and I have been kidnapped by Israeli occupation forces, or forces of a country complicit in Israel’s genocide of Palestinians. I appeal to all my comrades, friends and family to put pressure on the Spanish government to demand my release as soon as possible.” Share

5h ago 09.54 BST Emma Graham-Harrison Our correspondent Emma Graham-Harrison in Jerusalem has this report on the seizure of the Madleen Israel’s military took control of a boat trying to deliver food to Palestinians in Gaza in the early hours of Monday morning, and brought its crew of activists including Greta Thunberg to an Israeli port. The Madleen was making a symbolic attempt to break to the blockade of Gaza and raise awareness of a looming “starvation crisis”. It was never likely to get through Israel’s naval blockade of the territory, where UN-backed experts have warned of looming famine, and dozens of people have been killed by Israeli forces trying to reach food distribution centres. Even attempting to reach Gaza by boat is risky. In May, another boat sailing as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group that organised the Madleen’s voyage, caught fire off Malta and issued an SOS after what the group said was an attack by Israeli drones. Israel’s military declined to comment. Read the full story here Israeli forces take control of Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg Read more Share

5h ago 09.38 BST Turkey accuses Israel of acting ‘as a terror state’ Turkey has also condemned Israel’s seizure of the Madleen and accused Israel of acting “as a terror state”. Turkish activists Suayb Ordu is among the 12-strong crew. The Turkish foreign ministry called the move a “clear violation of international law”. It said the intervention threatened maritime security and “once again demonstrates that Israel is acting as a terror state.” Share

6h ago 08.53 BST Iran calls interception of the Madleen ‘an act of piracy’ Iran has condemned Israel’s interception of the Madleen, the Gaza-bound aid vessel, describing it as an act of piracy, according to Agence France-Presse. “The assault on this flotilla – since it happened in international waters – is considered a form of piracy under international law,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a press briefing in Tehran on Monday. Share

6h ago 08.32 BST View image in fullscreen A handout photo made available by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) shows the crew of the Madleen ship before leaving the port of Catania in Sicily on 1 June Photograph: Freedom Flotilla Coalition Handout/EPA Share

Israel Seizes Gaza Aid Boat, Detains Greta Thunberg/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israeli forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid vessel and detained activist Greta Thunberg and others aboard. The activists were attempting to deliver humanitarian aid in protest of Israel’s military actions and blockade. The boat, seized in international waters, is now headed to Israel.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg with other activists from a human rights organization meets with journalists in Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025, ahead of their departure for the Mideast. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

Gaza Aid Seizure: Quick Looks

Israeli forces intercepted the Gaza-bound boat Madleen and detained 12 activists, including Greta Thunberg.

and detained 12 activists, including Greta Thunberg. The boat was stopped in international waters, 120 miles off Gaza.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition organized the voyage , aiming to deliver food, medicine, and baby formula.

, aiming to deliver food, medicine, and baby formula. Israel called the voyage a “public relations stunt” and promised to redirect the aid through official channels.

and promised to redirect the aid through official channels. French President Emmanuel Macron called for the release of six detained French nationals.

Israeli human rights group Adalah claims the seizure violated international law.

Israel has enforced a blockade on Gaza since 2007 , now intensified due to the war with Hamas.

, now intensified due to the war with Hamas. Over 54,000 Palestinians have died in the ongoing conflict , according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Efforts for a truce remain stalled, with both Hamas and Israel holding firm to opposing demands.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg, center, waits to board the Madleen boat, before setting sail for Gaza along with activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departing from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

Deep Look: Israeli Forces Seize Gaza-Bound Aid Ship, Detain Greta Thunberg and Activists

JERUSALEM — Israeli naval forces seized a humanitarian aid vessel bound for the Gaza Strip early Monday, detaining a group of high-profile international activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. The activists, on a voyage organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, were attempting to challenge Israel’s blockade and deliver essential aid to the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

The ship, named Madleen, had departed from Sicily over a week ago and was intercepted in international waters approximately 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Gaza’s coastline, organizers said. According to the coalition, the crew was forcibly removed, and its humanitarian cargo — including baby formula, food, and medical supplies — was confiscated.

Activists “Kidnapped,” Say Organizers

In a sharply worded statement, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition condemned the Israeli Navy’s actions as “piracy,” claiming the vessel’s mission was peaceful and intended to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted,” the group said.

The Israeli government dismissed the voyage as a publicity stunt. The Foreign Ministry mocked the activists on X (formerly Twitter), referring to the mission as the “selfie yacht of the ‘celebrities,’” and released footage of Israeli forces offering water and sandwiches to those detained.

Who Was Onboard?

Among the 12 detained activists were:

Greta Thunberg , Swedish climate activist

, Swedish climate activist Rima Hassan , French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament

, French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Six French nationals, whose return has been formally requested by French President Emmanuel Macron

In a pre-recorded message released after the ship’s seizure, Thunberg urged international supporters to pressure the Swedish government for their immediate release.

“We were bringing aid to civilians. Arresting us shows how far Israel will go to suppress dissent,” the message said.

The vessel had also rescued four migrants during its journey, who had jumped into the sea to avoid Libyan coast guard detention.

Legal Controversy

Israeli human rights group Adalah, which is representing the detained activists, criticized the seizure as a clear violation of international law, citing that the boat was stopped in international waters and was bound for Palestinian, not Israeli, territorial waters.

“There is no legal authority to detain these individuals or confiscate their cargo,” Adalah stated.

Israel has not yet indicated whether the activists will face charges or how long they will be held.

Context: A Tightening Blockade

Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza since 2007, intensified during the ongoing war with Hamas. While the government says the blockade is necessary to prevent arms from reaching militants, critics argue it constitutes collective punishment for Gaza’s 2 million residents.

After a full blockade lasting over two months earlier this year, some basic aid is now being allowed through under international pressure. However, UN agencies warn that the risk of famine remains high.

“This policy is not about national security,” said Abby Maxman of Oxfam America. “It’s about vilifying communities seeking safety.”

Gaza Crisis at a Glance

The war erupted after Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people in Israel on October 7, 2023, and took 251 hostages. Israel responded with a massive offensive. The Gaza Health Ministry reports over 54,000 Palestinians killed, mostly women and children. Over 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced and much of the territory lies in ruins.

Efforts to reach a lasting ceasefire have failed. Hamas demands a full Israeli withdrawal and permanent truce, while Israel insists all hostages must be returned and Hamas eliminated.

Global Fallout

The seizure of the aid vessel, especially with celebrities aboard, has reignited global scrutiny of Israel’s policies in Gaza and its handling of humanitarian efforts. President Macron’s swift response adds to growing international unease.

Whether the activists’ mission will further humanitarian access to Gaza or deepen tensions remains to be seen. But the arrest of figures like Thunberg has already amplified their cause.

More on World News

Israel Vows ‘All Necessary Measures’ to Stop Gaza-Bound Aid Ship Carrying Greta Thunberg (Photo: Periodismodepaz/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY 4.0 )

Israeli forces detained a Gaza-bound aid vessel carrying Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and 11 other international campaigners early Monday, halting what officials described as a publicity stunt and reiterating Israel’s commitment to its naval blockade of the Hamas-controlled enclave.

The vessel, Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, had departed from Sicily on a mission to raise global awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and deliver limited quantities of aid, including baby formula, food, and medical supplies. The group had publicly aimed to challenge the maritime blockade Israel has enforced for years and intensified during its ongoing war with Hamas.

The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed they intercepted the boat in restricted waters and redirected it to Israeli territory. “The show is over,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a post on X. It described the ship as a “selfie yacht” and claimed that passengers were “safe and unharmed,” having been given sandwiches and water.

A video shared by the ministry showed a navy officer informing those aboard that the Gaza coastline was closed and instructing them to use established humanitarian aid routes instead. The ministry added that the aid-“less than a single truckload”-would be screened and redirected through formal channels.

Greta Thunberg e seus colegas tripulantes da Flotilha da Liberdade tiveram seu navio capturado por Israel. pic.twitter.com/wk4AFcxAoo — Piuigiron (@virais_video) June 9, 2025

Thunberg, 22, had recorded a message prior to the ship’s seizure, urging supporters to pressure the Swedish government to seek her release. “I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible,” she said.

Other participants included Rima Hassan, a French Member of the European Parliament of Palestinian descent who has been barred from entering Israel, and actor Liam Cunningham, known for his role in Game of Thrones.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition accused Israel of unlawfully boarding the vessel, stating: “The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo… confiscated.”

The mission follows a failed attempt by the group last month to reach Gaza by sea. That effort ended after one of their ships was reportedly hit by drones in international waters near Malta. The coalition blamed Israel for the attack.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered that participants of the flotilla be shown video footage from the October 7 Hamas-led assault on southern Israel, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

Israel’s military campaign in response has resulted in over 54,000 deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. The figure does not differentiate between civilian and combatant casualties. The United Nations has warned that famine conditions are worsening as about 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced and aid remains severely restricted.

Israel began allowing limited humanitarian deliveries into Gaza last month following international pressure, but aid organizations say it falls far short of what’s needed. The ongoing blockade, which began in 2007 when Hamas seized control of Gaza, remains a central point of contention in ceasefire negotiations, which have stalled for months.

Israeli forces stopped a humanitarian boat attempting to reach Gaza on Monday with passengers including climate activist Greta Thunberg and a French member of the European Parliament aboard, according to Israeli officials and the group organizing the trip. The aid boat, arranged by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an international Gaza solidarity group, was one of a number of ships that have tried to reach Gaza by sea in recent years to raise awareness of Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave. Most have been intercepted by Israeli forces before reaching Gaza’s shores, or blocked from leaving ports.

Monday’s passengers were “safe and unharmed,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on X early Monday. It said the vessel was making its way to Israel and the passengers “are expected to return to their home countries.” The ministry portrayed the attempt to reach Gaza as a publicity stunt, asserting that the amount of aid on board was equivalent to less than a single truckload of aid and dwarfed by Israel’s own efforts to provide humanitarian assistance.

The ministry posted a video on X early Monday local time that appeared to show Israeli military personnel handing out water and sandwiches to a group of people who were wearing life jackets and huddled together on a boat. Thunberg appeared to be among them.

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The Washington Post wasn’t immediately able to verify the location of the videos posted by the ministry or whether the aid boat was in international waters at the time.

The activist group said the vessel had been surrounded by quadcopters and sprayed with an unknown white substance around 2 a.m. local time, forcing the passengers to take shelter. “Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio,” the group said in a post on Telegram. On X, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition wrote that the activists aboard the Madleen had been “kidnapped by Israeli forces.”

The group also released on Telegram prerecorded messages from passengers including Thunberg. “If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces or forces that support Israel,” she said.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said he instructed the Israel Defense Forces to show the flotilla volunteers a video of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, accusing the activists, without providing evidence, of antisemitism and of supporting Hamas.

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The Foreign Ministry earlier posted a video that appeared to show the Israeli navy urging the boat’s crew over a loudspeaker to change course, to avoid its naval blockade.

The Israeli Navy is currently communicating with the “selfie yacht”. Using an international civilian communication system, the Israeli Navy has instructed the “selfie yacht” to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area. pic.twitter.com/KnSqWrsXU2 — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 8, 2025

The U.K.-flagged Madleen set off from the coast of Sicily on June 1 with 12 people aboard, hailing from France, Sweden, Turkey, the Netherlands, Spain, Brazil and Germany. Among them were Thunberg, European Parliament member Rima Hassan, Al Jazeera presenter Omar Faiad, journalist Yanis Mhamdi, and Freedom Flotilla Coalition organizers Yasemin Acar and Thiago Ávila.

In a Monday statement, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said the Israeli intervention took place when the Madleen was in international waters, calling it a violation of international law and a “heinous act by the Netanyahu government, which threatens the freedom of navigation and maritime security.” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told reporters on Monday that the government had warned the flotilla’s passengers ahead of the journey of the risks of the trip and sent a clear statement to Israel to “avoid any incident.” Spain’s Foreign Ministry summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Israeli embassy to protest the incident.

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Before setting sail, 22-year old Thunberg said in an interview posted on Instagram that though the journey was risky, the thing she feared most was “the world’s silence,” which she said was “enabling genocide.” Israel has repeatedly denied allegations of genocide and has rejected claims that it is carrying out a humanitarian blockade.

Israel has imposed varying forms of land, air and sea blockades on Gaza since 2007, arguing that its siege is justified to keep weapons from Hamas. The blockade has tightened since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas militants. In early March, Israel blocked all medicine, food and fuel from entering the enclave for nearly three months in a bid to pressure Hamas. The blockade has forced a spiraling humanitarian and hunger crisis for Gaza’s 2.2 million people, aid workers say.

Katz said Sunday he ordered the Israeli military to “take whatever measures are necessary” to prevent the Madleen from breaking the naval blockade and reaching Gaza.

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The Madleen set out with a limited amount of humanitarian aid aboard, including: baby formula, crutches and children’s prostheses.

Some past boat missions led by international activists to reach Gaza have resulted in bloodshed. Helicopter-borne Israeli naval forces in 2010 raided a flotilla that included a Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara, killing nine pro-Palestinian activists. That incident sparked international condemnation and a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Israel.

A United Nations report into the deadly 2010 incident found that while Israel’s naval blockade was a “legitimate security measure,” Israel’s decision to board the vessels with “such substantial force at a great distance from the blockade zone and with no final warning” was “excessive and unreasonable.” The panel also found that the flotilla had “no violent intentions” and was entitled to its political expression, but “acted recklessly in attempting to breach the naval blockade.”

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In the latest attempt, members of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition documented their sea journey on social media and posted live updates tracking the Madleen’s location. The group — which describes itself as a grassroots solidarity movement to support Palestinians through nonviolent action — said its passengers were not carrying weapons and were trained in nonviolent resistance.

“Spirits are high because we know we sail with the hearts of billions of people who can’t stand seeing children being starved to death, who can’t stand hospitals being bombed, who can’t stand shelters and tents being burned with people inside or children amputated without anesthesia,” Ávila said in a social media post during the first sunrise on the boat.

Marco Van Rennes, the Dutch skipper of the Madleen, said he was inspired to join the mission, his third with the group, by a sense of “moral duty.”

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About halfway through the journey, the Madleen made a stop to pick up four migrants who had jumped into the ocean from a deflating boat to evade Libyan authorities, the group said. The crew said it was responding to a Mayday call and had a “moral and legal duty to protect those rescued at sea.”

Photos posted by Hassan showed several people swimming in the ocean from a small, overcrowded boat with what the group said was about 30 to 40 migrants. The four rescued people were from Sudan and joined the group aboard the Madleen, who called on European authorities to rescue the refugees and help find them a safe country where they can seek asylum.

On Sunday night, Hassan began posting hourly updates on X as Israeli officials threatened to stop the boat. “It’s a dangerous night for us,” she wrote. “As soon as you don’t hear from me, it’s because the internet has been cut off and Israel is preparing to attack us.”

Israeli forces have seized a British-flagged aid vessel bound for Gaza, detaining its 12-member crew — including climate activist Greta Thunberg — in international waters, in what the Israeli government described as a “propaganda stunt” in support of Hamas.

The yacht Madleen, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was intercepted overnight in international waters before it could reach the coast of the besieged enclave. The FFC said the vessel, which had been carrying a symbolic consignment of humanitarian aid, was aiming to arrive in Gaza on Monday to raise global awareness of the humanitarian crisis.

“The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2 a.m.,” wrote Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who was aboard the vessel, in a post on X. She also shared a photo showing crew members seated on the deck, all wearing life jackets with their hands raised.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed that the Madleen was under its control. “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,” the ministry posted on X.

It later added that all passengers were “safe and unharmed,” stating: “They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over.”

Among the passengers was Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, known for her outspoken support of Palestinian rights. The boat was reportedly carrying a small quantity of aid, including rice and baby formula.

The Foreign Ministry said the aid “that was not consumed by the ‘celebrities’ will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels”.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant had ordered the military to prevent the yacht from reaching Gaza, calling the flotilla a “propaganda stunt” in support of Hamas. “Israel will not allow the breach of the naval blockade which is vital to our security,” he said.

Israel’s blockade of Gaza has been in place since 2007, following Hamas’s takeover of the territory. The restrictions, which extend to air and land access, have remained in place through several conflicts, including the ongoing war triggered by Hamas’s 7 October 2023 assault on southern Israel, which killed over 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities.

Since then, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The United Nations has warned of widespread famine in the enclave, where over two million people remain trapped with dwindling access to food, water, and medicine.

Israel insists the blockade is a necessary security measure to prevent arms from reaching Hamas, but human rights experts and aid organisations have called it collective punishment.

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, expressed support for the flotilla’s mission. “Madleen’s journey may have ended, but the mission isn’t over. Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid and solidarity to Gaza,” she posted on X.

She also urged other vessels to challenge the blockade, describing it as a violation of international humanitarian law.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said it would continue its efforts to deliver aid and bear witness to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, despite the seizure of the Madleen. Further actions have not yet been announced.

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