That’s the end of our live coverage of breaking news for Tuesday, June 10.

Many thanks for following along.

Here’s how the day unfolded:

PM sets his red lines before meeting with Trump Anthony Albanese has revealed his red lines before his discussion with Donald Trump next week. “Things like the pharmaceutical benefit scheme, the media bargaining code, our biosecurity. They’re not … on the table, as far as we’re concerned,” Albanese said at the National Press Club.

PM pledges to cut housing ‘red tape’ and reduce costs Anthony Albanese says his government must push local authorities to “cut through” red tape to make it cheaper to build new houses.

Albanese reveals new ‘productivity roundtable’ for August Anthony Albanese will replicate the Jobs and Skills Summit he held early in his first term, this time with the aim of developing new policies to bolster productivity.

Steven Kennedy to take over Prime Minister and Cabinet Treasury Secretary Steven Kennedy has been appointed the new secretary of the department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, replacing the outgoing Glyn Davis. Finance Department boss Jenny Wilkinson will become the first female Treasury Secretary.

The rule that could allow marines to take on US citizens The Pentagon is scrambling to establish rules to guide US Marine Corps personnel who could be faced with the rare and difficult prospect of using force against citizens on American soil, now that the Trump administration is deploying active duty troops to the immigration raid protests in Los Angeles.

Macron defies Trump with visit to Greenland In a challenge to President Donald Trump’s vow to take control of Greenland, President Emmanuel Macron of France will visit the enormous Arctic island on June 15 with the aim of “contributing to the reinforcement of European sovereignty.”

Trump would support arrest of Newsom US President Donald Trump said he would support the arrest of California Governor Gavin Newsom over possible obstruction of his administration’s immigration enforcement measures amid protests in the state.

NSW deputy premier reveals cancer diagnosis The deputy premier of NSW has revealed she has breast cancer and is taking time out to undergo treatment.

Thunberg will be made to watch October 7 massacre footage Israel’s military has been ordered to show Greta Thunberg footage of Hamas’s Oct 7 2023 attack on southern Israel. Israel Katz, the defence minister, on Monday congratulated the IDF for its interception of an aid boat carrying Thunberg and 11 other activists before it could reach Gaza.

LIVE – Updated at 06:40

Some of the activists and journalists detained along with Greta Thunberg were set to be deported to their home countries, Israel’s foreign ministry said.

They were “expected to leave within the next few hours”, the ministry said, without clarifying if Ms Thunberg was among the volunteers being sent back.

The Madleen boat was towed to the Ashdod port after Israeli forces intercepted the Gaza-bound vessel off the coast of Egypt.

The UK-flagged boat, which was carrying a symbolic amount of aid and intended to break Israel’s naval blockade around Gaza, in place since 2007, was intercepted in the early hours of Monday morning.

“Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorize their deportation. Consuls from the passengers’ home countries met them at the airport,” the ministry said in a statement on X.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organised the voyage, earlier said the volunteers were “kidnapped by Israeli forces” while trying to deliver desperately needed aid to the besieged Palestinian territory.

Meanwhile, Israel continued its assault on Gaza, killing three medical services staff and a journalist in strikes on the Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, local media reported on Monday.

Israel intercepts Gaza-bound Madleen Madleen reaches Ashdod port, Israel confirms

Israel ‘rams and boards’ Gaza-bound Madleen

Israel says it will force Thunberg to watch videos of Hamas’ October 7 attacks

Why was the Madleen sailing to Gaza?

300 UK foreign office staff told to consider leaving over disagreement with Gaza 06:40 , Namita Singh 06:40 , Namita Singh The foreign office staff workers were told to consider resigning after they raised concerns over UK’s potential “complicity” in Israel’s war on Gaza. In a letter to foreign secretary David Lammy last month, the officials questioned UK’s continued arms sales and what they called a “stark… disregard for international law” by Israel, reported BBC. In reply to the letter, sent from Sir Oliver Robbins and Nick Dyer, the senior civil servants in foreign office, the signatories were told: “[I]f your disagreement with any aspect of government policy or action is profound your ultimate recourse is to resign from the Civil Service. This is an honourable course.”

UN says most flour delivered in Gaza looted or taken by starving people 06:37 , Namita Singh 06:37 , Namita Singh The United Nations said on Monday that it has only been able to bring minimal flour into Gaza since Israel lifted an aid blockade three weeks ago and that has mostly been looted by armed gangs or taken by starving Palestinians. The organisation has transported 4,600 metric tonnes of wheat flour into Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing, the only entry point Israel allows it to use, deputy UN spokesperson Fahan Haq told reporters. Mr Haq said aid groups in Gaza estimate that between 8,000 and 10,000 metric tonnes of wheat flour were needed to give each family in Gaza a bag of flour and “ease the pressure on markets and reduce desperation”. “Most of it was taken by desperate, starving people before the supplies reached their destinations. In some cases, the supplies were looted by armed gangs,” Mr Haq said. According to World Food Programme guidelines, 4,600 metric tonnes of flour would provide roughly eight days’ worth of bread for Gaza’s 2 million residents, based on a standard daily ration of 300 grams per person. Mr Haq called for Israel to let in far more aid via multiple crossings and routes.

Israel strikes Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah 06:02 , Namita Singh 06:02 , Namita Singh Yemen’s Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported on Tuesday that Israeli forces were conducting strikes on the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. The report follows a statement from the Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson late on Monday, posted on X, urging the evacuation of the Houthi-controlled Yemeni ports of Ras Isa, Hodeidah and Salif. No immediate confirmation of the strikes was available from Israeli authorities.

Israel detains activist on Gaza flotilla for deportation 05:04 , Namita Singh 05:04 , Namita Singh The activists and journalist detained from the Madleen have “arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries”, Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement on X. The ministry announced that they were “expected to leave within the next few hours”. “Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorize their deportation. Consuls from the passengers’ home countries met them at the airport,” it added.

Israel kills three rescuers, journalist in strikes on Gaza city, Palestinian media report 05:02 , Namita Singh 05:02 , Namita Singh Israel killed three medical services staff and a journalist during strikes on Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, Palestinian media including Hamas-linked Shehab news agency said on Monday. The three rescuers were killed while working to save wounded people and recover dead bodies in the neighborhood, Shehab reported. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It said earlier that its forces continued to operate against what it deemed “terrorist organizations” throughout the Gaza strip.

Israel detains Greta Thunberg – reports 04:38 , Namita Singh 04:38 , Namita Singh Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has been detained along with 11 crew members of Madleen, reported Al Jazeera, quoting their lawyer. The aid ship carrying food was aiming to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza, before it was seized in international waters and towed at Ashdod Port.

Security ‘failings’ raised in parliament after peers ‘harassed’ at Gaza protest 04:29 , Namita Singh 04:29 , Namita Singh Concerns have been raised at Westminster over security “failings” after reports of peers being jostled and harassed at a Gaza protest outside parliament. Disabled members of the House of Lords were among those targeted during last Wednesday’s demonstration, the upper chamber heard. Responding, foreign minister Lord Collins of Highbury condemned such behaviour and said it was “not acceptable”. The protest coincided with calls in the Commons led by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for an Iraq War-style inquiry into any UK involvement in the current Middle East conflict. The Israeli offensive on the Palestinian territory was launched after Hamas carried out an attack in southern Israel on 7 October 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed during the attack and more than 250 were taken captive. Israel’s war has killed over 54,000 Palestinians in the enclave, according to the Gaza health ministry, and triggered a humanitarian crisis with warnings of famine in the face of Israel imposing restrictions on aid. There have been a series of deadly shootings by Israeli soldiers reported in Gaza since the rollout of a new food distribution system, backed by Israel and run by mainly American contractors.

Watch | Greta Thunberg ‘kidnapped by Israeli forces’ in international waters while carrying aid for Gaza 04:00 , Jabed Ahmed

An 18-year blockade 03:00 , Jabed Ahmed 03:00 , Jabed Ahmed Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza’s Palestinian population. Israel sealed off Gaza from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine.

Why was the Madleen sailing to Gaza? 02:00 , Jabed Ahmed 02:00 , Jabed Ahmed The 12-person Madleen set sail for Gaza eight days ago from the port of Catania in Sicily. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), responsible for the boat, said the trip aimed “to break Israel’s more than 17-year illegal and inhumane blockade of the Gaza Strip”. The ship’s location was being monitored live by Forensic Architecture using a Garmin live tracker on board before that tracker was switched off when Israel intercepted the vessel. Speaking aboard the Madleen last week, Ms Thunberg told Middle East Eye: “We have promised ourselves and we have promised the Palestinian people to do everything we can. “When our governments are failing us … then it falls on us to step up and be the adults in the room. “We are just human beings, very concerned about what’s happening, and do not accept what is going on.”

ICYMI | Convoy sets off for Gaza from North Africa to protest Israel’s blockade 01:00 , Jabed Ahmed 01:00 , Jabed Ahmed A convoy of buses and private cars have departed from Tunisia to Gaza as part of efforts to spotlight Israel’s blockade on humanitarian aid to the territory. The overland effort — organized independently but moved up to coincide with the flotilla — is made up of activists, lawyers and medical professionals from North Africa. It plans to traverse Tunisia, Libya and Egypt before reaching Rafah, the border crossing with Egypt that has remained largely closed since Israel’s military took control of the Gaza side in May 2024. The Tunisian civil society groups behind the convoy said their aim is to demand “the immediate lifting of the unjust siege on the strip.” They said that Arab governments haven’t pushed enough to end the 20-month war between Israel and Hamas. “This convoy speaks directly to our people in Gaza and says, ‘You are not alone. We share your pain and suffering,’” Yahia Sarri, one of the convoy’s Algerian organizers, wrote on social media. The North African activists do not expect their convoy to be allowed into Gaza. Regardless, it provides “a message of challenge and will,” said Saher al-Masri, a Tunis-based Palestinian activist.

Watch | Israel reveals tunnel under Gaza hospital ‘where body of Hamas chief was found’ Monday 9 June 2025 23:59 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 23:59 , Jabed Ahmed Israel reveals tunnel under Gaza hospital ‘where body of Hamas chief was found’

Bulletin | Greta Thunberg forced to watch October 7 footage after Israeli forces seize aid boat Monday 9 June 2025 22:59 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 22:59 , Jabed Ahmed Greta Thunberg forced to watch October 7 footage after Israeli forces seize aid boat

How many times have sailors tried to break Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza? Monday 9 June 2025 22:14 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 22:14 , Jabed Ahmed There have been at least eleven occasions when Israel has intercepted activists or pro-Palestinian militants attempting to break its blockade on Gaza, we can report. Israel’s blockade on Gaza has been in place since late 2007. The most significant incident happened in May 2010, when a six-boat flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli navy around 90 miles from Gaza. Nine people were killed after Israeli commandos opened fire on activists, having boarded the flagship vessel, the Mavi Marmara, Israel claims the activists began attacking the soldiers first. Neither account has been confirmed. There were additional, major attempts by activists in July 2011, June 2015 and August 2018. The vessels were all boarded without incident by Israeli forces. Like the Madleen, several were taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod. Several smaller efforts were also intercepted by Israel, largely in the two years between 2009 and 2011. In March 2011, the Israelis intercepted a freighter called the Victoria in the Mediterranean with 50 tonnes of concealed weapons allegedly bound for Gaza. Last month, two drones hit another vessel destined for Gaza while it was off the coast of Malta. It was run by the same organisation that manages the Madleen, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The FFC claimed those drones were Israeli. Israel declined to comment.

Watch | Israel reveals tunnel under Gaza hospital ‘body of Hamas military chief was found’ Monday 9 June 2025 21:44 , Jabed Ahmed

An 18-year blockade Monday 9 June 2025 21:14 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 21:14 , Jabed Ahmed Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza’s Palestinian population. Israel sealed off Gaza from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine.

Trump: Thunberg needs anger management classses Monday 9 June 2025 20:43 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 20:43 , Jabed Ahmed US president Donald Trump has said he thinks activist Greta Thunberg is a “strange person”. Speaking to reporters in the White House, he said: “Well, she’s a strange person. She’s a young, angry person. I don’t know if it’s real anger. It’s hard to believe, actually, but I saw what happened. She’s certainly different…anger management. I think she has to go to anger management class. That’s my primary recommendation for her.”

Pictured | Madleen enters port under escort of Israeli naval forces Monday 9 June 2025 20:42 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 20:42 , Jabed Ahmed

Monday 9 June 2025 20:39 , Jabed Ahmed Adalah, a legal rights group representing the activists, has demanded access to the Madleen passengers before they are deported. In an update the group said: “Adalah just received confirmation (9 June at 10 PM Jerusalem time) that all volunteers are currently being held at Ashdod Port, where they are undergoing processing before being handed over to immigration authorities. “Unless they agree to leave immediately, they will be transferred to the detention facility in Ramleh. While authorities have indicated that those who consent to deportation may be allowed to fly out from Tel Aviv tonight, it’s unclear what conditions—such as signing documents or waiving rights—may be imposed. “Adalah will be demanding access to the volunteers before any transfer or departure is carried out.”

Madleen reaches port, Israel confirms Monday 9 June 2025 20:15 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 20:15 , Jabed Ahmed The Gaza-bound aid boat Madleen has arrived at an Israeli port, according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry. In a post on X, the ministry said the passengers of the boat are currently undergoing medical examinations. It has also released images of two people, including a picture of activist Greta Thunberg.

Was Israel legally allowed to sieze the Madleen? Monday 9 June 2025 19:58 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 19:58 , Jabed Ahmed Israeli naval forces, far from the country’s shores, intercepted and seized a Gaza-bound ship carrying international activists in an early morning raid. The operation has sparked accusations that Israel’s actions, apparently in the high seas, were a breach of international law. Israel says the latest ship planned to violate its blockade on Gaza and says it acted in accordance with international law. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the latest ship, says the Madleen was intercepted in international waters 124 miles off the coast of Gaza, a claim that could not be independently verified. Israeli authorities have not disclosed the location where the ship was halted. Robbie Sabel, an international law expert and former legal adviser to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea stipulates that a state only has jurisdiction up to 12 nautical miles from its shores. In general, states don’t have the right to seize ships in international waters, but there are exceptions, including during armed conflict, Mr Sabel added.

Convoy sets off for Gaza from North Africa to protest Israel’s blockade Monday 9 June 2025 19:29 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 19:29 , Jabed Ahmed A convoy of buses and private cars have departed from Tunisia to Gaza as part of efforts to spotlight Israel’s blockade on humanitarian aid to the territory. The overland effort — organized independently but moved up to coincide with the flotilla — is made up of activists, lawyers and medical professionals from North Africa. It plans to traverse Tunisia, Libya and Egypt before reaching Rafah, the border crossing with Egypt that has remained largely closed since Israel’s military took control of the Gaza side in May 2024. The Tunisian civil society groups behind the convoy said their aim is to demand “the immediate lifting of the unjust siege on the strip.” They said that Arab governments haven’t pushed enough to end the 20-month war between Israel and Hamas. “This convoy speaks directly to our people in Gaza and says, ‘You are not alone. We share your pain and suffering,’” Yahia Sarri, one of the convoy’s Algerian organizers, wrote on social media. The North African activists do not expect their convoy to be allowed into Gaza. Regardless, it provides “a message of challenge and will,” said Saher al-Masri, a Tunis-based Palestinian activist.

Watch | Israeli government blasts Greta Thunberg and her ‘selfie yacht’ for ‘feeding her ego’ Monday 9 June 2025 18:58 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 18:58 , Jabed Ahmed Israeli government blasts Greta Thunberg and her ‘selfie yacht’ for ‘feeding her ego’

Madleen reaches Israeli port Monday 9 June 2025 18:42 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 18:42 , Jabed Ahmed Gaza-bound British-flagged yacht “Madleen” is approaching Ashdod port in Israel.

Police stand off with protesters outside foreign office Monday 9 June 2025 18:28 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 18:28 , Jabed Ahmed

Why was the Madleen sailing to Gaza? Monday 9 June 2025 17:58 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 17:58 , Jabed Ahmed The 12-person Madleen set sail for Gaza eight days ago from the port of Catania in Sicily. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), responsible for the boat, said the trip aimed “to break Israel’s more than 17-year illegal and inhumane blockade of the Gaza Strip”. The ship’s location was being monitored live by Forensic Architecture using a Garmin live tracker on board before that tracker was switched off when Israel intercepted the vessel. Speaking aboard the Madleen last week, Ms Thunberg told Middle East Eye: “We have promised ourselves and we have promised the Palestinian people to do everything we can. “When our governments are failing us … then it falls on us to step up and be the adults in the room. “We are just human beings, very concerned about what’s happening, and do not accept what is going on.”

MP writes to foreign office to urge action over Madleen Monday 9 June 2025 17:44 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 17:44 , Jabed Ahmed Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, has written to foreign secretary David Lammy, urging him to take action over the Madleen ship. Ms Whittome wrote in the letter: “I write regarding the Madleen aid flotilla, a UK-flagged vessel, which has been seized by Israel. “Our government must act now to ensure the safety of all on board, and ensure that vital humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza without delay. “I am gravely concerned for the welfare of those on board the Madleen in light of Israel’s previous actions in seizing aid ships. “In 2010, 10 people were killed, while 30 more were injured, after Israeli forces opened fire on a vessel they had seized, in what the UNHCR described as an ‘unacceptable level of brutality’. “The interception of theMadleen represents yet another flagrant violation of international law. I also urge you to bring all possible political pressure to ensure that Israel no longer uses aid as a weapon.”

Trump expected to speak with Israel’s Netanyahu, White House officials say Monday 9 June 2025 17:27 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 17:27 , Jabed Ahmed US President Donald Trump plans to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, two White House officials have said. The call comes as Trump has been trying to accelerate aid into Gaza and to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear program. Trump has occasionally expressed frustration with Netanyahu. Last week, he said he had warned Netanyahu not to take actions that could disrupt nuclear talks with Iran. “I told him this would be inappropriate to do right now because we’re very close to a solution now,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “That could change at any moment.”

Hundreds protest outside foreign office Monday 9 June 2025 17:16 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 17:16 , Jabed Ahmed Hundreds of people are protesting outside the UK foreign office in central London, demanding safe passage for the Madleen ship.

An 18-year blockade Monday 9 June 2025 16:58 , Jabed Ahmed Monday 9 June 2025 16:58 , Jabed Ahmed Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza’s Palestinian population. Israel sealed off Gaza from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine.

Watch: Israeli official claims Madleen is ‘selfie yacht’ Monday 9 June 2025 16:26 , Daniel Keane Monday 9 June 2025 16:26 , Daniel Keane Israeli government spokesman David Mencer gave a press conference earlier in which he claimed the Madleen was a “selfie yacht”.

I was deeply disheartened by Israel’s interception of the Madleen, says the boat’s namesake Monday 9 June 2025 15:55 , Tom Watling Monday 9 June 2025 15:55 , Tom Watling A Palestinian woman who the Madleen vessel that was intercepted by Israeli forces is named after says she is “deeply disheartened” by its capture. Madleen Kulab, believed to be Gaza’s only female fisherman, told Al Jazeera: “I was deeply disheartened. I strongly anticipated this scenario, but I was truly hoping for a miracle that somehow the ship would break the blockade and reach Gaza.”

Madleen crew have not arrived in Israel, says rights group Monday 9 June 2025 15:38 , Tom Watling Monday 9 June 2025 15:38 , Tom Watling A rights group representing the 12 activists detained by Israel aboard the Madleen say they have not arrived in Israel and are still at sea. The Madleen was intercepted by Israeli forces off the coast of Egypt early this morning. It has been reported that the boat is being taken to the port of Ashdod. The group said Israel’s Detention Review Tribunal has confirmed the activists are not currently in its custody. They added that it appears the authorities intend to deport the individuals upon arrival. Any proceedings are likely to take place tomorrow, they added, as Monday is not a scheduled hearing day at the Tribunal. “Israel has thus far failed to provide sufficient information as to their whereabouts and their legal status,” the group said. “Israel must provide such information immediately and release the unlawfully detained volunteers.”

Ireland praises Madleen trip as ‘powerful symbol’ to end Israel’s blockade of Gaza Monday 9 June 2025 15:13 , Tom Watling Monday 9 June 2025 15:13 , Tom Watling Ireland’s foreign minister has issued praise to the 12-person crew of the Madleen following their arrest by Israeli forces. Simon Harris described the crew’s attempt to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza as a “powerful symbol” to tackle the absence of aid provisions to the enclave. “The Madleen was an effort to get food and medicine to the starving people of Gaza; an unarmed civilian effort in the midst of devastation and catastrophic humanitarian conditions,” Harris said in a statement. “What the flotilla has highlighted is the urgent need for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza,” he added. He described the seizure of the ship in the early hours of Monday off the coast of Egypt as another attempt by Israel to prevent aid from entering Gaza.

Madleen on route to Israeli port, says foreign ministry Monday 9 June 2025 14:42 , Tom Watling Monday 9 June 2025 14:42 , Tom Watling Israel’s foreign ministry has claimed the Madleen is “continuing its journey toward an Israeli port”. The 12-person vessel, originally bound for Gaza, was intercepted by Israeli forces around 3 am local time this morning off the coast of Egypt. The ministry added: “Upon arrival, arrangements will be made for their return to their respective home countries.” It is believed the group is headed to the port of Ashdod, where they will be temporarily detained in solitary confinement before being taken to the nearby Ben Gurion airport and sent home. A military source told the Times of Israel that the boat would arrive in Ashdod in the coming hours.

Greta Thunberg issues pre-recorded SOS message after Israeli interception Monday 9 June 2025 14:13 , Tom Watling

Madleen activists to be put in separate cells in prison, says far-right security minister Monday 9 June 2025 13:14 , Tom Watling Monday 9 June 2025 13:14 , Tom Watling Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has instructed prison officials to quietly escort the 12 activists on board the Madleen into detention and put them into separate cells, local media is reporting. Ben-Gvir reportedly told officials to place the activists in cells with no radio or television. They are to be transported to Givon Prison in Ramla from the port of Ashdod in vehicles with tinted windows, to minimise media attention, according to Israeli outlet Israel Hayom.

Madleen crew say Israeli forces sprayed the ship with white substance Monday 9 June 2025 12:51 , Tom Watling Monday 9 June 2025 12:51 , Tom Watling The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) says Israeli forces fired a “white paint-like substance” at the Madleen when it intercepted the vessel earlier today. “Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white paint-like substance. Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio,” the FFC said. Activist Yasmin Acar, who was on the boat at the time, showed a white substance on the deck during a livestream of the event, saying it had been dropped on the vessel. She was later heard saying it was affecting her eyes.

How many times have sailors tried to break Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza? Monday 9 June 2025 12:33 , Tom Watling Monday 9 June 2025 12:33 , Tom Watling There have been at least eleven occasions when Israel has intercepted activists or pro-Palestinian militants attempting to break its blockade on Gaza, we can report. Israel’s blockade on Gaza has been in place since late 2007. The most significant incident happened in May 2010, when a six-boat flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli navy around 90 miles from Gaza. Nine people were killed after Israeli commandos opened fire on activists, having boarded the flagship vessel, the Mavi Marmara, Israel claims the activists began attacking the soldiers first. Neither account has been confirmed. There were additional, major attempts by activists in July 2011, June 2015 and August 2018. The vessels were all boarded without incident by Israeli forces. Like the Madleen, several were taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod. Several smaller efforts were also intercepted by Israel, largely in the two years between 2009 and 2011. In March 2011, the Israelis intercepted a freighter called the Victoria in the Mediterranean with 50 tonnes of concealed weapons allegedly bound for Gaza. Last month, two drones hit another vessel destined for Gaza while it was off the coast of Malta. It was run by the same organisation that manages the Madleen, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The FFC claimed those drones were Israeli. Israel declined to comment.

Tracking the Madleen over its eight-day journey from Sicily Monday 9 June 2025 12:16 , Tom Watling Monday 9 June 2025 12:16 , Tom Watling As we bring you reports that the UK-flagged Madleen is being towed by Israel to the port of Ashdod, after attempting to reach Gaza with a small amount of humanitarian aid, we remind you that the vessel has suffered several incidents on its eight day journey. Two days after it left the Sicilian port of Catania last Sunday, passengers on board the Madleen reported drones overhead. The Greek defence ministry confirmed that Israeli-built drones had circled over the boat, while they were off the coast of Crete, though Israel did not claim responsibility. Two days later, the Madleen rescued four Sudanese migrants who had attempted to make it across the Mediterranean. The Madleen detoured to pick them up after encountering a sinking inflatable dinghy carrying up to 30 people. They issued a mayday to the nearby Coast Guard but received no response. When the Libyan Coast Guard arrived, which Madleen owners the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) say are notoriously cruel to migrants, four passengers jumped off the sinking dinghy and made their way onto the Madleen. It is unclear whether those four asylum seekers remained on the boat when it was intercepted by Israel.

In pictures: Madleen sets sail from Sicily Monday 9 June 2025 12:00 Monday 9 June 2025 12:00 The Madleen set sail from the Sicilian port of Catania eight days ago. Below, you can see some pictures from that day.

In pictures: Israeli activists face off in Ashdod Monday 9 June 2025 11:39 , Tom Watling Monday 9 June 2025 11:39 , Tom Watling Israeli activists in support of – and opposition to – the 12 pro-Palestinian activists on board the Madleen have been pictured facing off to one another near the port of Ashdod, where the vessel is due to arrive shortly.

France: We have asked Israel to facilitate rapid return of six French activists on board Madleen Monday 9 June 2025 11:23 Monday 9 June 2025 11:23 France has requested permission from Israel to “facilitate the rapid return” of six French nationals aboard the Gaza-bound Madleen, which was intercepted in international waters by Israel earlier this morning. The Madleen, carrying 12 crew members, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and French politician Rima Hassan, is currently being towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod, where they will be forced to watch videos of Hamas’ October 7 attacks. They will later be transferred to Ben Gurion Airport and flown back to their respective countries, Israeli officials have said. French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said they had requested “to be able to exercise consular protection” over the six activists and to visit them as soon as they arrived in Ashdod. He added that Paris would like “to ascertain [the activists’ situation and facilitate their rapid return to France”.

Israeli Navy practised different scenarios to deal with Madleen Monday 9 June 2025 11:13 , Tom Watling Monday 9 June 2025 11:13 , Tom Watling The Israeli navy spent days preparing for different means of dealing with the Gaza-bound Madleen as it neared the enclave, it has been reported. Israeli broadcaster N12 writes that the 13th fleet, responsible for intercepting the UK-flagged Madleen, spent days preparing for the flotilla’s arrival, but it was agreed that “extra caution” was necessary following the involvement of the British and the French. Both countries said they were closely monitoring the ship after it was revealed that the vessel was UK-flagged and that half the 12-person crew were French.

Israel: Masses of ships would have sailed to Gaza if we hadn’t stopped the Madleen Monday 9 June 2025 11:05 , Tom Watling Monday 9 June 2025 11:05 , Tom Watling Israel’s public broadcaster N12 is quoting a senior Israeli official as saying that they had to stop the Madleen from reaching Gaza because “masses” of ships would have made the same journey if it had not been stopped. “We are surrounding Gaza from all sides with the aim of strangling Hamas, and not allowing it to receive any assistance from a party not under Israeli supervision,” the official said. “If we allow one flotilla to enter, masses will follow, and this provocation will create a wave of flotillas hostile to Israel. We will not allow this.”

The detained crew of the Gaza-bound aid ship that was intercepted by Israel has docked in the Israeli port of Ashdod, according to Israel’s foreign ministry.

Those on board the Madleen aid ship, including Sweden’s Greta Thunberg and other prominent activists, underwent medical examinations on Monday, the foreign ministry said.

On arrival to Ashdod, the activists were taken to a room to be shown a screening of the “horror film documenting the October 7 massacre” carried out by Hamas, according to Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz.

READ MORE: About 700 Marines being mobilised in response to LA protests

The Gaza-bound aid boat, Madleen, right, under escort of Israeli naval forces making its way toward Ashdod Port in southern Israel after being seized by Israeli forces, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) (AP)

“When they saw what it was about, they refused to continue watching,” Katz said.

He accused Thunberg and the rest of the ship’s crew of ignoring Hamas atrocities by “closing their eyes to the truth.”

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) said the Israeli military had “attacked” and “unlawfully boarded” the Madleen , which was attempting to deliver aid to Gaza – where more than 600 days of war, and an 11-week Israeli blockade of all aid, has pushed the enclave’s 2.1 million people deeper into a hunger crisis.

Earlier on Monday, a source familiar with the matter told CNN that Israel planned to bring the detained activists to Ashdod port and then through a “quick deportation process” via Ben-Gurion Airport.

The ministry also previously posted a video showing members of the Madleen crew sitting side by side wearing orange life jackets while a solider offered them bottled water and plastic-wrapped sandwiches. Thunberg can be seen sitting near the front of the group.

READ MORE: NSW Deputy Premier Prue Car diagnosed with breast cancer

Greta Thunberg speaking at the press conference. Greta is part of the crew of the ship Madleen, headed to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid on June 01, 2025 in Catania, Italy. Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is among those who will attempt to sail to Gaza on a boat organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC). (Getty)

The FFC had earlier said the ship had come “under assault in international waters” in a Telegram post.

“Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white paint-like substance. Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio,” the FFC said.

A video posted by Israel’s foreign ministry appeared to show a Navy staffer sending a radio message to the vessel saying the “maritime zone off the coast of Gaza was closed.”

In a video livestreamed from the boat, activist Yasemin Acar showed a white substance on the deck, saying it had been dropped on the vessel. Acar was later heard saying it was affecting her eyes.

The FFC group also posted a video on Telegram, showing members of the crew sitting inside the boat with their hands in the air.

UK police clash with demonstrators supporting the crew of the British-flagged Madleen vessel outside the Foreign Office in central London. (Getty)

After losing communication with the vessel, the FFC began posting pre-recorded video messages from Thunberg and others onboard. “If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel,” Thunberg said in her video.

In a statement, the FFC said Israel had acted with “total impunity” and that the vessel’s cargo, which included baby formula, food and medical supplies was “confiscated.” Israel said it would transfer the goods to Gaza through humanitarian channels.

“Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen ,” said Huwaida Arraf, human rights lawyer and Freedom Flotilla organiser. “This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the (International Court of Justice’s) binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.”

Amnesty International also condemned the detention of the activists.

In a statement to CNN, Israel said that it “is preventing the entry of all vessels into the Gaza Strip, in accordance with international law.”

Israel had repeatedly vowed to stop the aid boat from reaching Gaza, and described the ship as a “selfie yacht” carrying “celebrities.”

Only a trickle of aid is receiving Gaza for displaced Palestinians, shown here on Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) (AP)

Israel’s foreign ministry said the group “attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity.”

“There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip – they do not involve Instagram selfies,” it added.

The French foreign ministry said on Monday that there were six French nationals on board the Madleen , and that it is in contact with Israeli authorities to bring them back. The French government had previously warned the activists against their plan.

Hamas demanded the immediate release of the activists and condemned their detention in a statement, calling the interception “a flagrant violation of international law, and an attack on civilian volunteers acting out of humanitarian motives.”

Israel imposed a full humanitarian blockade of Gaza on March 2, cutting off food, medical supplies, and other aid to the more than 2 million Palestinians who live in the territory for 11 weeks.

Faced with growing international pressure, Israel began allowing a trickle of aid in late May. But humanitarian organisations say it is only a fraction of the aid that entered the enclave before the war, and have warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis and the growing risk of widespread famine. A UN-backed report warned in late April that one in five people were facing starvation.

Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg and other activists detained aboard a Gaza-bound aid boat have been taken to a Tel Aviv airport for deportation, Israel said Tuesday, after their vessel was intercepted by naval forces.

The activist group departed Italy on June 1 aboard the Madleen carrying food and supplies for Gaza, whose entire population the UN has warned is at risk of famine.

Israeli forces intercepted the boat in international waters on Monday and towed it to the port of Ashdod.

“The passengers of the ‘Selfie Yacht’ arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries,” the Israeli foreign ministry said on X.

“Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority.”

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the activist group operating the vessel, said all 12 campaigners were “being processed and transferred into the custody of Israeli authorities”.

“They may be permitted to fly out of Tel Aviv as early as tonight,” it said on social media.

Video released earlier by the group showed the activists with their hands up as Israeli forces boarded the vessel, with one of them saying nobody was injured.

Turkey condemned the interception as a “heinous attack” and Iran denounced it as “a form of piracy” in international waters.

In May, another Freedom Flotilla ship, the Conscience, was damaged in international waters off Malta as it headed to Gaza, with the activists saying they suspected an Israeli drone attack.

A 2010 Israeli commando raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was part of a similar attempt to breach the naval blockade, left 10 civilians dead.

On Sunday, Defence Minister Israel Katz said the blockade, in place for years before the Israel-Hamas war, was needed to prevent Palestinian militants from importing weapons.

– Journalists on board –

The Madleen was intercepted about 185 kilometres (115 miles) west of the coast of Gaza, according to coordinates from the coalition.

President Emmanuel Macron requested that the six French nationals aboard the boat “be allowed to return to France as soon as possible”, a presidential official said.

Two of them are journalists, Omar Fayyad of Qatar-based Al Jazeera and Yanis Mhamdi who works for online publication Blast, according to media rights group Reporters Without Borders, which condemned their detention and called for their “immediate release”.

Al Jazeera “categorically denounces the Israeli incursion”, the network said in a statement, demanding the reporter’s release.

Adalah, an Israeli NGO offering legal support for the country’s Arab minority, said the activists on board the Madleen had requested its services, and that the group was likely to be taken to a detention centre before being deported.

Israel is facing mounting pressure to allow more aid into Gaza to alleviate widespread shortages of food and basic supplies.

In what organisers called a “symbolic act”, hundreds of people launched a land convoy on Monday from Tunisia with the aim of reaching Gaza.

– ‘Our children are dying’ –

Israel recently allowed some deliveries to resume after barring them for more than two months and began working with the newly formed, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

But humanitarian agencies have criticised the GHF and the United Nations refuses to work with it, citing concerns over its practices and neutrality.

Dozens of people have been killed near GHF distribution points since late May, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency.

In Gaza City on Monday, displaced Palestinian Umm Mohammed Abu Namous told AFP that she hopes “that all nations stand with us and help us, and that we receive 10 boats instead of one”.

“We are innocent people,” she said. “Our children are dying of hunger… We do not want to lose more children because of hunger.”

The 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says at least 54,880 people, the majority civilians, have been killed in the territory since the start of the war. The UN considers these figures reliable.

Out of 251 taken hostage during the Hamas attack, 54 are still held in Gaza including 32 the Israeli military says are dead.

myl-bfi/ami/dhw/tym

The ‘freedom flotilla’ activists have arrived at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport to be deported, Israel has confirmed.

Taking to X at around 1:20am, the Israel Foreign Ministry said: ‘Some of the “Selfie Yacht” passengers are expected to leave within the next few hours.

‘Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorize their deportation. Consuls from the passengers’ home countries met them at the airport.’

It comes after it was revealed that Greta Thunberg was being held in an Israeli prison for migrants after troops intercepted the vessel, according to the activist’s lawyer.

Thunberg, alongside the 11 other activists on board, was expected to appear in court later on this morning after they were taken to the Israeli port city of Ashdod.

‘We demand information about the whereabouts of our clients and the right to meet them,’ lawyer Nariman Shehade Zoabi told Expressen on Monday.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which organised the voyage from Italy to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, said in the early hours of Monday that the ship had come ‘under assault’ in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Madleen was said to have been shadowed by speedboats and drones before ‘quadcopters’ surrounded and sprayed the ship with an unidentified ‘white irritant substance’, shortly before the IDF seized it.

Greta Thunberg, alongside the 11 other activists on board, are expected to appear in court later on this morning after they were taken to the Israeli port city of Ashdod

Crew members on board the Madleen hold up their hands during the Israeli interception

Sweden rejected Thunberg’s plea for help on board the ‘freedom flotilla’ after Israeli commandos intercepted the vessel on its approach to Gaza

Israeli commandos took over the vessel and arrested the activists, before taking them to Ashdod, in southern Israel

Israeli commandos took over the vessel and arrested the activists, before taking them to Ashdod, in southern Israel.

But on Monday, their lawyers claimed they had not received any information about their clients’ whereabouts.

‘Based on previous experiences, Greta Thunberg and the others will be taken to Givon prison near the town of Ramle.

‘There, what are called illegal immigrants are detained and there is a court that can quickly decide on deportation,’ Zoabi, from the human rights organisation, Adala, added.

She is waiting in Ashdod alongside five others, three of whom are lawyers, and explained the deportation process could be quick.

‘Israel has no interest in detaining them and they themselves do not want to stay in the country’, she said.

But until they are deported, the activists will be detained in Givon Prison.

It comes after Sweden rejected Thunberg’s plea for help on board the vessel after Israeli troops stopped the ship.

Maria Malmer Stenergard, the Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that she believes Thunberg is not in need of support from the ministry after the climate activist called on followers to pressure the government into action.

‘A great responsibility rests on those who choose to travel contrary to the advice given to a place,’ she said outside the Swedish parliament, as protestors gathered in Stockholm to demand an intervention.

The minister lamented that, as a result of Greta’s plea, the consular hotline had received a high volume of calls that meant Swedes ‘in need’ abroad were being held in long queues for assistance.

‘It is quite dangerous to run a campaign that means that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ consular hotline is called down,’ she said, adding: ‘The consequence is that Swedes in need abroad have to wait in line for far too long.’

Stenergard suggested she did not believe Thunberg needed help, but assured: ‘If she needs consular support, we will do everything we can, just as we do with all Swedish citizens.’

Critics suggested it was a ‘gap-year protest’, and the Israeli government said Ms Thunberg had been ‘feeding her ego’ rather than the people of Gaza.

The whole thing was always designed to be – and might yet be seen to be – a publicity coup for Ms Thunberg and the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) group of campaigners determined to draw attention to the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza where children have been starving to death.

Israel had claimed that all passengers on board the charity vessel are ‘safe and unharmed’.

Thunberg joined 11 activists in sailing to the Gaza Strip with a ‘symbolic’ amount of aid

Images showed the deck splattered with an unidentified white liquid

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (pictured in May) snubbed Thunberg’s plea

Protestors hold signs reading ‘Neutrality = complicity’ (C) and Palestinian flags as they attend a demonstration to show their support for activists aboard a boat stopped by Israeli forces enroute to deliver aid to Gaza, in Toulouse, south-western France on June 9, 2025

A protestor holds a sign reading ‘The fleet stopped, Gaza starved, the world complicit’ as she attends a demonstration to show her support for activists aboard a boat stopped by Israeli forces enroute to deliver aid to Gaza, in Toulouse

The Israeli foreign ministry also derided what it called the ‘selfie yacht’ carrying ‘celebrity’ activists, adding that the aid onboard would be transferred to Gaza through what it called ‘real humanitarian channels’

Protestors have called on the governments of the 12 crew members to act after the activists claimed to have been ‘intercepted and kidnapped’ in international waters some 100 miles from the coast of Gaza.

In London, demonstrators gathered outside the FCDO offices in Whitehall to call on the country to protect the crew of the British-flagged ship. One held a sign that read: ‘Israel attacks UK boat. UK does nothing.’

Images emerged last night, showing the deck of the charity vessel splattered with white liquid. Activist Yasmin Acar, among those on board, said it had been deployed by Israel and was affecting her eyes.

‘Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio,’ the coalition wrote on Telegram.

Huwaida Arraf, the co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement, told Al Jazeera that crew members had said their eyes were burning from the substance.

‘We don’t know what that chemical was. Some people reported that their eyes were burning,’ they said.

Israel ‘forcibly intercepted’ the vessel at 3.02am local time on Monday, the FFC said in a statement.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz argued the blockade – in place for years – was needed to prevent militants importing weapons into Gaza.

He congratulated the military on its ‘quick and safe takeover’ of the ship.

After diverting the boat, Israel’s foreign ministry posted a picture of the activists all in orange life jackets being offered water and sandwiches.

Katz said that the crew were safe and unharmed, and would be taken to the Israeli Port of Ashdod where they would be shown a video of Hamas’s October 7 atrocities.

Activist Yasmin Acar, among the 12 on board, said it had been deployed by Israel and was affecting her eyes

Critics called on the UK Government to protect the crew of Madleen on Monday

The Madleen, which sailed towards Gaza to raise awareness of the crisis in the territory

Video shows gunmen storming into southern Israel during Hamas’s October 7 massacre, killing some 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostage

In comments shared on social media yesterday, Katz said it was ‘appropriate’ the crew now see ‘what atrocities [Hamas] committed against women, the elderly and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself’.

The video of Hamas’ attacks reportedly contains 43 minutes of ‘uncensored’ footage of ‘people being massacred and bodies mutilated during the onslaught’, according to the Times of Israel.

The Israeli foreign ministry also derided what it called the ‘selfie yacht’ carrying ‘celebrity’ activists, adding that the aid onboard would be transferred to Gaza through what it called ‘real humanitarian channels’.

The 12 activists had left Italy on June 1, aiming to bring awareness of food shortages in Gaza, which the UN has called the ‘hungriest place on Earth’, after 21 months of war.

The UN has warned the territory’s entire population is at risk of famine.

But the Israeli government had vowed to prevent the ‘unauthorised’ Madleen from breaching the naval blockade of Gaza, urging it to turn back.

Your browser does not support iframes.

An image shared by the Israeli Foreign Ministry of what the ministry said were passengers on the Madleen Gaza-bound aid boat being given sandwiches

Shayetet 13, the IDF’s elite naval commando unit, pictured in a stock photo

Protesters take part in a demonstration outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Offcie (FCDO) in Whitehall, London on June 9

Protesters gather in support of the Freedom Flotilla and Palestine outside the Foreign Office

After losing communication with the vessel, the FFC posted pre-recorded videos from the crew.

In her video, Thunberg said: ‘If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel.’

Why are the activists protesting? The crew on board the Madleen sailed towards Gaza in an effort to raise awareness of the deepening humanitarian crisis. Israel imposed a blockade on supplies – including food and medicine – into the Palestinian enclave on March 2, and limited aid only began to enter again late last month after pressure from allies and warnings of famine. ActionAid had reported in April that the price of flour in Gaza had soared to $300 a bag after more than 50 days without new aid deliveries. More than 3,700 children were newly admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition in March alone, it said, an 80 per cent rise on the previous month, per UNOCHA. Still, most people in Gaza are surviving on just a single meal per day, consisting mostly of pasta, rice or canned food. Humanitarian workers and experts have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. Nine tenths of the population have been displaced by 21 months of war, with Israel now pursuing a new major offensive in the strip. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza’s Palestinian population. Advertisement

The FFC said that Israel had acted with ‘total impunity’.

It said that the cargo, containing baby formula, food and medical supplies, had been ‘confiscated’.

The Israelis denounced Ms Thunberg’s cynical ‘Instagram selfie’ aid mission and said the ‘tiny amount of aid’ on board the ‘celebrity’ vessel would be transferred to Gaza through ‘real humanitarian channels’.

The foreign ministry stressed that all crew members were ‘safe and unharmed’. It said that it expected the activists to return to their home countries.

Arraf, a human rights attorney and Freedom Flotilla organiser, pushed back: ‘Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen.’

‘This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the (International Court of Justice’s) binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.’

Israel has come under criticism for apprehending the group of activists in international waters.

Francesca Albanese, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, said the British government must ‘urgently seek full clarification’ about the ship’s status and work to ‘secure the immediate release’ of the vessel and crew.

‘The Madleen must be allowed to continue its lawful humanitarian mission to Gaza,’ she said.

MailOnline approached the Foreign Office for comment.

Protestors amassed outside the FCDO offices in London on Monday. One held a sign that read: ‘Israel attacks UK boat. UK does nothing.’

Ellie Chowns, Green Party Foreign Affairs spokeswoman and MP for North Herefordshire, said: ‘The UK Government cannot remain silent while international waters are turned into a battleground and humanitarian actors are criminalised.

‘The forced interception of the Madleen, a British-flagged vessel, is utterly unacceptable. Unarmed civilian crew were seized by Israeli military forces while sailing in international waters, their life-saving cargo taken, and international law trampled.

‘I echo the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s demands: the immediate release of these civilians, unfettered delivery of vital baby formula, food and medical supplies to Gaza, and full accountability for these flagrant violations.’

A protester takes part in a demonstration outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Offcie (FCDO) in Whitehall on June 9

The Ashdod Port. The Madleen crew were taken to Ashdodon Monday

An Israeli officer at the Super Nova Festival in Re’im, Israel, after it was attacked by Hamas on October 7, 2023

The Gaza-bound aid ship Madleen, organised by the international NGO Freedom Flotilla Coalition, anchored off Catania, Italy, on June 1

Activist Greta Thunberg sits aboard the aid ship Madleen in a photo shared on June 2

Critics have branded the interception ‘state piracy’ and condemned the lack of action from the crew members’ respective governments.

Mouin Rabbani, a non-resident fellow at the Qatar-based Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, told Al Jazeera: ‘This is not only an act of state piracy. It’s in direct violation of the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice.’

Spain summoned Israel’s charge d’affaires in protest of the interception, according to El Pais, citing a source at the Spanish Foreign Ministry.

French Foreign Minister Jeal-Noel Barrot said France wants to ‘facilitate the rapid return’ of six French nationals travelling with the group.

Turkey slammed Israel for the interception, describing it as a ‘heinous attack’.

‘The intervention by Israeli forces on the ‘Madleen’ ship.. while sailing in international waters is a clear violation of international law,’ it said, describing it as a ‘heinous attack’ by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Turkey’s foreign ministry said there were Turkish nationals among those on board, without identifying them. The Freedom Flotilla’s website said the boat was carrying 12 people from seven countries, including Turkey.

‘The international community’s justified reaction to Israel’s genocidal policies, which use hunger as a weapon in Gaza and prevent the delivery of humanitarian aid, will continue,’ the ministry added, saying Israel would manage to ‘silence the voices defending human values’.

Five year-old Osama al-Raqab, suffering from severe malnutrition, undergoes treatment at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Youni in the southern Gaza Strip 31 May 2025. His mother said his weight has dropped to just nine kilograms

Zakariya al-Majdoub, an 11-month-old baby born in Khan Yunis during Israeli attacks on Gaza, faces life-threatening malnutrition in Gaza on June 3, 2025

Rihan Sharab, a Palestinian mother, tries to keep the joy of Eid alive with her handcrafted toys by distributing them to children in the Mewasi camp while Israeli attacks continue in Khan Yunis, Gaza on June 4, 2025

A Palestinian man collects aid supplies from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 9, 2025

Eight-year-old Rahab Matar, who was injured during an Israeli airstrike while playing in a park in Gaza, stays at a temporary shelter set up at the Yarmouk Stadium, Gaza City, June 7

Israel is facing mounting international pressure to allow more aid into Gaza to alleviate widespread shortages of food and basic supplies.

It recently allowed humanitarian deliveries to resume after barring them for more than two months and began working with the newly formed, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

But humanitarian agencies have criticised the GHF and the United Nations refuses to work with it, citing concerns over its practices and neutrality.

Dozens of people have been killed near GHF distribution points since late May, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency.

It said Israeli attacks killed at least 10 people on Sunday, including five civilians hit by gunfire near an aid distribution centre.