“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen… That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others.” –President Trump pic.twitter.com/ER7nGM4TO2

Trump cited terrorism and public safety risks, as well as poor vetting procedures and high visa overstay rates, as justification for the restrictions.

The ban applies only to those outside the US without valid visas and does not revoke existing ones. Visa applications from affected countries will be denied unless they meet narrow exemption criteria.

The proclamation, signed Wednesday, bars visa issuance to nationals from countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, and Haiti, while imposing heightened restrictions on travelers from an additional seven countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, and Turkmenistan.

President Donald Trump’s new travel ban targeting citizens from 12 primarily African and Middle Eastern countries is set to take effect Monday, intensifying his administration’s immigration enforcement drive.

Good evening! SOFREP’s Evening Brief is here, wrapping up your Sunday with the latest updates on defense and global affairs for June 8, 2025. Here are tonight’s headlines: Trump imposed a new travel ban on 12 countries, citing security risks, and deployed National Guard troops to LA amid immigration protests, bypassing California’s governor. Iran claimed it stole Israeli nuclear intel, while Israel vowed to stop Greta Thunberg’s Gaza aid boat. Wagner forces left Mali, replaced by Russia’s Africa Corps. Russia and Ukraine blamed each other for a delayed body swap as clashes continued. Thailand and Cambodia pulled back troops after a deadly border skirmish. A Chinese ship ran aground near a Philippine-held island, triggering regional military tensions.

Good evening! SOFREP’s Evening Brief is here, wrapping up your Sunday with the latest updates on defense and global affairs for June 8, 2025. Here are tonight’s headlines: Trump imposed a new travel ban on 12 countries, citing security risks, and deployed National Guard troops to LA amid immigration protests, bypassing California’s governor. Iran claimed it stole Israeli nuclear intel, while Israel vowed to stop Greta Thunberg’s Gaza aid boat. Wagner forces left Mali, replaced by Russia’s Africa Corps. Russia and Ukraine blamed each other for a delayed body swap as clashes continued. Thailand and Cambodia pulled back troops after a deadly border skirmish. A Chinese ship ran aground near a Philippine-held island, triggering regional military tensions.

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Trump Imposes New Travel Ban on 12 Countries, Citing Security Risks

President Donald Trump’s new travel ban targeting citizens from 12 primarily African and Middle Eastern countries is set to take effect Monday, intensifying his administration’s immigration enforcement drive.

The proclamation, signed Wednesday, bars visa issuance to nationals from countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, and Haiti, while imposing heightened restrictions on travelers from an additional seven countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, and Turkmenistan.

The ban applies only to those outside the US without valid visas and does not revoke existing ones. Visa applications from affected countries will be denied unless they meet narrow exemption criteria.

Trump cited terrorism and public safety risks, as well as poor vetting procedures and high visa overstay rates, as justification for the restrictions.

“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen… That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others.” –President Trump pic.twitter.com/ER7nGM4TO2 — The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 4, 2025

The policy also references a recent attack in Colorado by an Egyptian national—not among the targeted countries—as an example of overstay dangers.

The administration says the new policy was carefully crafted to withstand legal challenges, unlike Trump’s earlier travel bans that were struck down or narrowed in court.

Human rights groups and refugee aid organizations have condemned the move, accusing the White House of targeting vulnerable populations and fueling division. Venezuela’s government also denounced the ban as discriminatory.

Trump Deploys National Guard to Los Angeles Without Governor’s Request Amid Immigration Protests

Roughly 300 National Guard troops arrived in Los Angeles early Sunday under direct orders from President Donald Trump, bypassing California Governor Gavin Newsom’s authority in a rare federal move.

The troops, armed and in tactical gear, were stationed outside key federal sites including the Metropolitan Detention Center, following two days of unrest tied to immigration enforcement.

The deployment marked the first time since 1965 that the National Guard was activated without a governor’s request. Trump invoked a legal clause allowing federal troop deployment in the event of “rebellion,” claiming California leaders had failed to contain the protests. He authorized the mobilization of up to 2,000 Guard members.

According to U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), roughly 300 Soldiers with the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the California National Guard have been federalized and deployed to protect three separate federal facilities across the Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, under… pic.twitter.com/nG56ECZNRL — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 8, 2025

Protests began Friday in downtown LA and spread to Paramount and Compton, where demonstrators clashed with Border Patrol agents using tear gas and flash-bangs. The clashes followed sweeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that resulted in over 100 arrests. Tensions escalated further when federal agents set up operations near a Home Depot in the Latino-heavy suburb of Paramount.

California officials, including Newsom and Rep. Maxine Waters, condemned the deployment as an overreaction. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that active-duty Marines could be deployed if violence continued. Trump allies like House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the move, while critics such as Sen. Bernie Sanders labeled it a dangerous overreach of presidential power.

The federal government defended the action as essential to public safety, accusing California officials of protecting “illegal alien criminals.” Meanwhile, confusion lingered over the Guard’s exact arrival time, with conflicting statements from Trump and LA Mayor Karen Bass late Saturday.

Iran Claims to Have Obtained Sensitive Israeli Intelligence in Covert Operation

Iranian state television announced Saturday that Tehran had acquired a large cache of sensitive Israeli intelligence, including documents allegedly related to Israel’s nuclear program and defense infrastructure.

The report claimed the data haul included thousands of files, images, and videos concerning Israel’s nuclear facilities and strategic plans, all reportedly obtained through a covert operation and securely transferred to Iran.

While the report did not detail the source or method of acquisition, it described the materials as thoroughly reviewed by Iranian authorities. Neither Iran’s intelligence agencies nor other official media outlets provided further comment.

Iran’s intelligence obtains large trove of sensitive Israeli nuclear, strategic documents Follow Press TV on Telegram: https://t.co/mLGcUTS2ei pic.twitter.com/OMxdcSY7gU — Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) June 8, 2025

The revelation comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel, two regional adversaries engaged in years of shadow warfare involving cyberattacks, assassinations, and proxy strikes.

Israel has accused Iran of supporting militant groups and targeting its interests abroad, while Tehran blames Israel for the assassinations of several Iranian nuclear scientists.

The timing of the report coincides with renewed friction over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which Israeli leaders regard as an existential threat.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated support for preemptive strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

The announcement also follows last year’s unprecedented direct military exchanges between the two nations during Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza. Iran, a staunch backer of the Palestinian cause, does not recognize Israel’s statehood.

Israel Vows to Block Gaza-Bound Aid Boat Carrying Greta Thunberg

Israel’s government announced Sunday it will prevent an aid vessel carrying climate activist Greta Thunberg and 11 others from reaching Gaza, warning it will enforce its naval blockade.

Defense Minister Israel Katz labeled Thunberg and fellow activists as “antisemitic” and “Hamas propagandists,” declaring, “You will not make it to Gaza.”

The vessel Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departed Sicily last week with plans to breach the Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian aid. The group aims to spotlight the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, now 20 months into the Israel-Hamas war.

Among the passengers is Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian European Union parliamentarian banned from entering Israel for her stance on Israeli policies.

“We are 12 peaceful volunteers carrying humanitarian aid…If Israel or its allies attack us, it would be a violation of international law and human rights.” Activist Greta Thunberg spoke about her humanitarian aid journey to Gaza. Full interview ➡️ https://t.co/3UwRgQxbRk pic.twitter.com/0nQFyQw2eZ — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 8, 2025

Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila posted Sunday that the boat’s communications appeared to be jammed about 160 nautical miles from Gaza. The attempt follows a similar failed mission last month, when another flotilla vessel was damaged in a drone strike off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack.

Israel and Egypt have maintained a blockade on Gaza since Hamas took power in 2007. Israel says the blockade is essential to prevent arms smuggling; critics call it collective punishment. While Israel began allowing limited aid last month, humanitarian organizations warn of looming famine due to ongoing restrictions and heavy military operations.

The war, triggered by Hamas’s October 7 assault that killed 1,200 and led to the abduction of 251 hostages, has since left more than 54,000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

Nearly 90 percent of Gaza’s population is now displaced and reliant on international aid.

Wagner Leaves Mali, Russia’s Africa Corps Takes Over

Russia’s Wagner Group has officially withdrawn from Mali, with its forces now replaced by the Kremlin-controlled Africa Corps, diplomatic and security sources confirmed Sunday.

A Telegram channel linked to Wagner declared, “Mission accomplished. PMC Wagner is going home.”

The move comes as Mali’s military junta continues its strategic shift from France to Russia for security cooperation. Though Mali never formally acknowledged Wagner’s presence, it claimed to work only with Russian “instructors.”

Western and regional observers, however, had long identified Wagner personnel operating in the country.

❗️ Russia’s Wagner Group Says Its Mission in Mali Complete The statement says that the group has completed its main task, returning all regional capitals to the control of legitimate authorities. “For 3.5 years, the [fighters] fought shoulder to shoulder with the people of Mali… pic.twitter.com/DUd2HXYLUH — Sputnik Africa (@sputnik_africa) June 6, 2025

After Wagner’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin died in a suspicious plane crash in August 2023 following a brief mutiny, the group was disbanded and restructured.

The Africa Corps, a new paramilitary organization aligned with the Kremlin, has since absorbed Wagner’s operations in Mali and other African nations.

Most of Wagner’s Russian operatives in Mali have been integrated into Africa Corps, which now holds positions in the capital Bamako and key northern cities. The transition underscores Russia’s continued push for influence in the Sahel under a new operational banner.

Russia Awaits Ukraine Confirmation on Soldier Body Swap Amid Frontline Push

Russia said Sunday it is still waiting for Ukraine to confirm a planned exchange of 6,000 fallen soldiers, alleging that Kyiv postponed the operation agreed to in recent Istanbul talks.

Russian Lt. Gen. Alexander Zorin said Moscow had delivered an initial batch of 1,212 Ukrainian bodies to a border site and claimed there were signs of delays.

Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharova questioned whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or NATO halted the swap.

Ukraine’s intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov denied any delay and accused Russia of manipulating the situation. He said the repatriation is scheduled for next week and preparations are moving forward as planned under the Istanbul agreement. Both sides have traded blame for disrupting the exchange.

The Russian Defense Ministry also announced Sunday that its forces had reached the western edge of the Donetsk region and launched an offensive into neighboring Dnipropetrovsk—potentially marking their first confirmed entry into the region since the war began in 2022.

Ukraine has not commented, and the claim remains unverified by independent sources.

NEW: A senior Ukrainian official reported that the Russian military intends to seize half of Ukraine by the end of 2026. Russian forces are highly unlikely to be able to make such large advances in such a narrow time frame, given Russia’s current offensive capabilities and… pic.twitter.com/HoSK7PunN9 — Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) June 7, 2025

Russia and Ukraine exchanged drone and missile strikes overnight. In Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, Russian strikes killed one person Sunday, following Saturday’s attacks that left six dead and over two dozen wounded.

Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting 40 of 49 Russian drones and missiles launched overnight.

In Russia, Ukrainian drone attacks wounded several people in Belgorod and Tula regions and briefly shut down three major Moscow airports—Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky. Russia claimed to have shot down 61 Ukrainian drones across various regions.

The aerial exchanges highlight the ongoing intensity of the conflict as both sides press on with limited progress in peace negotiations.

Thailand and Cambodia De-escalate Border Tensions After Deadly Clash

Thailand and Cambodia agreed to return troops to their previously agreed-upon positions along the disputed border following a deadly skirmish that killed a Cambodian soldier.

The announcement came after heightened military deployments by both nations near the contentious area between Cambodia’s Preah Vihear and Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani provinces.

Thai Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai expressed hope that a meeting of the Joint Boundary Committee would help resolve the long-running dispute. However, Cambodia’s Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn reiterated Phnom Penh’s call for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to intervene, citing the issue’s complexity.

Thailand has rejected ICJ jurisdiction and favors bilateral talks.

Breaking: The Royal Thai Army, under jurisdiction from the National Security Council, is taking over all opening and closing of Thai Cambodian borders. Those traveling should check in advance and the situation could change at any time in regards to openings or closings. pic.twitter.com/XadBB5RDU0 — The Pattaya News Thailand (@The_PattayaNews) June 7, 2025

The border dispute dates back to 1907, when colonial France drew Cambodia’s map. Tensions have flared sporadically since 2008, particularly around the 11th-century Hindu temple of Preah Vihear, with at least 28 deaths recorded.

Despite the de-escalation, Cambodia maintains its right to keep troops in the area, while Thailand insists on full military withdrawal. On Saturday, the Thai army assumed control of all border crossings, citing threats to national sovereignty. On Sunday, Thailand reduced operating hours at 10 of the 17 official border checkpoints along the 817-kilometer (508-mile) frontier.

Chinese Ship Runs Aground Near Philippine-Held Island, Triggers Military Alert

A Chinese fishing vessel ran aground Saturday in stormy conditions near Thitu Island, a Philippine-occupied territory in the disputed South China Sea, prompting Filipino forces to go on alert.

The ship became stuck in shallow waters about 1.5 nautical miles from a Filipino fishing village but was later pulled free by accompanying Chinese vessels, according to Philippine military officials.

Philippine troops and coast guard personnel initially deployed to offer assistance in accordance with international maritime law but stood down once it was clear the vessel had been extricated. No injuries or damage have been confirmed.

The grounded ship resembled vessels that Manila has previously identified as suspected Chinese maritime militia, often involved in aggressive actions supporting the Chinese coast guard against Philippine patrols. The incident raised concerns among local residents and highlights ongoing tensions in the region.

WATCH: A Chinese fishing vessel ran aground in Philippine waters east of Pag-asa Island on Saturday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said. Details about the Chinese vessel were few, as the Philippine Coast Guard responding to local fishermen reports found the Chinese… pic.twitter.com/roeQHJe97r — NewsWatch Plus PH (@newswatchplusph) June 8, 2025

Thitu Island, known locally as Pagasa, is the largest Philippine-held island in the Spratly chain and lies just 26 kilometers (16 miles) from China’s militarized Subi Reef. The broader South China Sea dispute involves overlapping territorial claims by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.

While the US does not claim territory in the region, it has reaffirmed its mutual defense treaty with the Philippines and warned it will respond if Filipino forces or assets are attacked in the South China Sea.

Sources: AFP, News Agencies, The Associated Press

June 8 (UPI) — Israel said Sunday that it would use “any means necessary” to stop a flotilla of boats carrying a dozen pro-Palestinian activists and aid from reaching Gaza, and was attempting to stop the boats from breaching an Israeli naval brigade.

One of the boats, a small, civilian boat called the Madleen, is carrying activist Greta Thunberg, and was 160 nautical miles off the coast of Egypt on Sunday, according to a ship tracker. Local reports said the Madleen’s communication systems may have been interfered with so the boat’s exact location was unknown, according to the Times of Israel.

The Madleen is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition carrying aid to the region that set sail from Sicily on June 1. European Parliamentarian Rima Hassan is also aboard the Madleen.

While the small boat is said to be carrying aid and activists, Israel has said it is critical to prevent weapons smuggling into the region. Israel imposed the blockade on Gaza in 2007, but it has intensified since the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023, killing more than 1,200 people. The ensuing battle has left tens of thousands of Gazans dead.

Israeli defense minister Israel Katz is leading efforts to keep the Madleen, which is carrying only a token amount of aid, from reaching Gazans.

“To Greta the antisemite and her friends, propagandists for Hamas — I say clearly: You would do well to turn back, because you won’t get to Gaza,” Katz said in a statement. “Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or aid terrorist organizations by sea, air or land.”

Israel and Egypt imposed the aid blockade on Gaza in 2007 after the Islamic militant group seized the coastal strip in 2007. Israel has said it is not trying to limit aid to effected Gazans but, rather, said it imposed the blockade to prevent weapons smuggling into to the enclave.

Israel recently imposed an 80-day block on humanitarian aid to Gazans, which has the region on the precipice of famine, international aid organizations have said.

This is the latest in a series of moves by Israel to stop aid deliveries to the region, following an attempt in April that stopped a ship called the Conscience after it left Tunisia and was scheduled to pick up more activists and humanitarian aid in Malta.

The Conscience was set on fire by Israeli-backed explosions that set it on fire off the coast of Malta.

Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg (far left and far right) on the Gaza-bound aid boat on June 1. PHOTOS: REUTERS

– Israel on June 8 ordered the military to stop a humanitarian ship carrying activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, breaking the blockade of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.

“I have instructed the military to prevent the Madleen flotilla from reaching Gaza,” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.

“Turn back because you will not reach Gaza,” Mr Katz added, calling the activists “Hamas propaganda mouthpieces”.

The Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left Italy on June 1 with the stated aim of delivering humanitarian aid and challenging the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian territory, which has been in place for years even before the Israel-Hamas war since October 2023.

Organisers said on June 7 that they had reached Egyptian waters and were nearing Gaza, where the war between Israel and Hamas has entered its 21st month.

“We are not armed. There is only humanitarian aid,” European Parliament member Rima Hassan told AFP from the boat, vowing to “stay mobilised until the last minute”.

The coalition said in a statement on X it expected “interception and an attack from Israel at any moment”, calling for protection from the governments of those on board, who are nationals of Germany, France, Brazil, Turkey, Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands.

Mr Katz said that “Israel will not allow anyone to break the naval blockade of Gaza, which is aimed at preventing weapons from reaching Hamas – a murderous terrorist group holding our hostages and committing war crimes.”

In Gaza, where the United Nations has repeatedly warned of famine, the civil defence agency said Israeli attacks killed at least 10 people on June 8, including five civilians hit by gunfire near an aid distribution centre.

‘Risked their lives’ for food

Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal and witnesses said the civilians had been heading to a site west of Rafah, in southern Gaza, run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

The GHF has come under criticism from humanitarian agencies and the United Nations refuses to work with it, citing concerns over its practices and neutrality.

Witness Abdallah Nour al-Din told AFP that “people started gathering in the Al-Alam area of Rafah” in the early morning.

People transport relief supplies on a cart from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the central Gaza Strip on June 8. PHOTO: AFP

“After about an hour and a half, hundreds moved toward the site and the army opened fire,” he said.

The Israeli military said it fired on people who “continued advancing in a way that endangered the soldiers” despite warnings.

The GHF said in a statement there had been no incidents “at any of our three sites” on June 8.

It said it had distributed more than a million meals, including more than 600,000 through a trial of “direct to community distribution” via “community leaders”.

Outside Nasser Hospital, where the emergency workers brought the casualties, AFPTV footage showed mourners crying over blood-stained body bags.

“I can’t see you like this,” said Ms Lin al-Daghma by her father’s body.

She spoke of the struggle to access food aid after more than two months of a total Israeli blockade of Gaza, despite a recent easing.

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

At a charity kitchen in Gaza City, displaced Palestinian Umm Ghassan told AFP she had been unable to collect aid from a GHF site “because there were so many people, and there was a lot of shooting. I was afraid to go in, but there were people who risked their lives for their children and families”.

Sinwar

Also on June 8, the Israeli military said it had located and identified the body of Mohammed Sinwar, presumed Hamas leader in Gaza, in an “underground tunnel route beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis”, in southern Gaza.

A room with blood stains inside a tunnel underneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, where Israeli military said the body of Hamas Gaza chief Mohammed Sinwar was found. PHOTO: REUTERS

The military, which until June 8 had not confirmed his death, said Israeli forces killed Sinwar on May 13.

Sinwar was the younger brother of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, accused by Israel of masterminding the 2023 attack that triggered the war.

The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 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.

After the deaths of several Hamas leaders, Mohammed Sinwar was thought to be at the heart of decisions on indirect negotiations with Israel.

The military said that alongside Sinwar’s body, forces had found “additional intelligence” at the Khan Younis site “underneath the hospital, right under the emergency room”.

Experts said he likely took over as the head of Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, after its leader Mohammed Deif was killed by Israel.

The Palestinian group has remained tight-lipped over the names of its top ranks. AFP

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TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s government on Sunday vowed to prevent an aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from reaching the Gaza Strip.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel wouldn’t allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms.

“To the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propagandists — I will say this clearly: You should turn back, because you will not make it to Gaza,” he said in a statement.

READ MORE: Desperate Palestinians stop, unload UN food trucks as Israeli attacks kill dozens in Gaza

Thunberg, a climate campaigner, is among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The vessel departed Sicily last Sunday on a mission that aims to break the sea blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid, while raising awareness over the growing humanitarian crisis 20 months into the Israel-Hamas war.

The activists had said they planned to reach Gaza’s territorial waters as early as Sunday.

Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist on board the boat, posted a video on social media Sunday afternoon saying someone appeared to be jamming their tracking and communication devices about 160 nautical miles from Gaza.

Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, is among the others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians.

READ MORE: As Israel’s blockade pushes Gaza towards famine, aid workers say they feel helpless

After a 2½-month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive.

An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after another of the group’s vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship.

Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians.

READ MORE: Gaza is at critical risk of famine if Israel doesn’t end blockade, experts warn

Israel sealed Gaza off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but later relented under U.S. pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine.

Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead.

Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It doesn’t say whether those killed are civilians or combatants.

The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the territory’s population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on international aid.

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

Israel’s government on Sunday ordered its military to intercept a Gaza-bound aid vessel carrying climate activist Greta Thunberg and 11 others, warning it would take “all necessary measures” to prevent the ship from reaching Palestinian waters. The move has drawn international scrutiny and accusations of disproportionate force as humanitarian conditions in Gaza worsen under a protracted blockade.

“I have instructed the IDF to act so that the hate flotilla does not reach the shores of Gaza-and to take all necessary measures to that end,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. Addressing Thunberg directly, Katz added, “To the antisemitic Greta [Thunberg] and her friends who echo Hamas propaganda, I say clearly: You’d better turn back-because you will not reach Gaza.”

The Madleen, a vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), departed Catania, Sicily, on June 1 with the stated goal of delivering a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza and drawing attention to the humanitarian crisis in the territory. In addition to Thunberg, passengers include actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament of Palestinian descent who has been barred from entering Israel.

“We will not be intimidated,” the FFC said in a statement responding to Katz. “The statement by Israel’s defense minister is yet another example of Israel threatening the unlawful use of force against civilians-and attempting to justify that violence with smears.”

By Sunday evening, the Madleen was approximately 160 nautical miles from Gaza. Activists reported potential interference with the ship’s communication systems. Brazilian activist Thiago ávila posted a video claiming their tracking devices were being jammed.

Thunberg said before departure, “No matter how dangerous this mission is, it’s not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the livestreamed genocide.”

The Israeli blockade on Gaza, initially imposed in 2007, intensified following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led assault that killed around 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages. According to Israeli authorities, 55 hostages remain in Gaza, more than half believed to be dead.

Since then, Israeli military operations have killed over 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians but has said most casualties are women and children. UN officials describe Gaza as “the hungriest place on Earth,” with 90% of the population displaced and dependent on aid.

In mid-May, Israel began easing the blockade slightly, allowing limited humanitarian access through a U.S.-backed distribution system guarded by private contractors and Israeli forces. However, conditions remain dire. On Sunday, four Palestinians were killed near a food distribution site, bringing the number of deaths since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began managing aid on May 27 to 110, with more than 1,000 injured, according to Gaza health officials.

Israel has defended the naval blockade as a national security imperative to prevent arms shipments to Hamas. “The State of Israel will not allow anyone to break the naval blockade on Gaza, whose primary purpose is to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hamas,” Katz said Sunday.

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A prior attempt by the FFC to deliver aid by sea ended in failure after one of its ships, the Conscience, was damaged in international waters off Malta by drone strikes. The group blamed Israel for the incident. Despite the risks, the FFC reiterated its call for world governments to demand Israel stand down: “Israel has no right to obstruct our effort to reach Gaza.”