JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli naval forces, far from the country’s shores, intercepted and seized a Gaza-bound ship carrying international activists, including Greta Thunberg, in an early morning raid Monday. The operation sparked accusations that Israel’s actions, apparently in the high seas, were a breach of international law.

The activists say their journey was meant to protest Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there. The ship was carrying aid destined for people in Gaza, including baby formula and food. The activists, including Thunberg, were detained and were headed to Israel for likely deportation.

It’s not the first time Israel has halted ships carrying aid bound for the Palestinian territory. A raid in 2010 descended into violence between activists and Israeli commandos, leaving eight Turks and one Turkish-American killed. Most of the other operations against Gaza-bound boats have ended uneventfully, with ships diverted and activists detained.

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Israel says the latest ship planned to violate its blockade on Gaza and says it acted in accordance with international law.

Can Israel storm a ship in the high seas? Here is a look at the legal debate.

Intercepted far off the coast of Gaza

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the latest ship, says the Madleen was intercepted in international waters some 200 kilometers (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 (19 kilometers) from its shores.

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In general, states don’t have the right to seize ships in international waters, but there are exceptions, including during armed conflict, Sabel added.

He said that even before the latest war, Israel was in an armed conflict with Hamas, allowing it to intercept ships it suspected were violating its longstanding blockade of Gaza, which Egypt also enforced. Rights groups have long criticized the blockade as unlawful collective punishment against Palestinians.

Sabel cited a U.N. report on the 2010 raid that ended in activist fatalities, which stated that “attempts to breach a lawfully imposed naval blockade place the vessel and those on board at risk.” The debate over the legality of Israel’s blockade remains unresolved among legal experts.

The U.N. report urged states to be cautious in the use of force against civilian vessels and called on humanitarian missions to deliver aid through regular channels. It said a country maintaining a naval blockade “must abide by their obligations with respect to the provision of humanitarian assistance.”

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A debate over Israel’s right to act

Yuval Shany, an expert on international law at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, said that so long as Israel’s blockade of Gaza is “militarily justified” — meant to keep out weapons — and the ship intended to break it, Israel can intercept the vessel after prior warning.

Whether the blockade is militarily justified is also up for debate.

Suhad Bishara, head of the legal department at Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel representing the activists, said Israel was not justified in acting against a ship in international waters that posed no military threat.

“In principle, Israel cannot extend an arm into international waters and carry out whatever action against a ship there,” she said.

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Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein said that “everything that was done was done in accordance with international law,” referring to the ship takeover.

Gaza and Israel’s obligations under international law

Rights groups say the legal questions are complicated by Gaza’s unique status.

The United Nations and much of the international community view Gaza as Israeli-occupied territory, along with east Jerusalem and the West Bank, all of which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want the three territories to form their future state.

Israel argues that it withdrew from Gaza in 2005, when it pulled out its soldiers and settlers, even though it maintained control over Gaza’s coastline, airspace and most of its land border. Hamas, which does not accept Israel’s existence, seized power in Gaza two years later.

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Amnesty International says Israel has an obligation as the occupying power to make sure that Palestinians in Gaza have enough access to humanitarian supplies, something Amnesty says Israel was preventing by not allowing the Madleen through.

Amnesty and other groups see the seizure of the Madleen as part of a campaign by Israel throughout the war to limit or entirely deny aid into Gaza.

Israel says it has allowed enough aid to enter Gaza to sustain the population and accuses Hamas of siphoning it off, while U.N. agencies and aid groups deny there has been any systematic diversion.

Israel’s aid policy during the war has driven the territory toward famine, experts say, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accused by the International Criminal Court of using starvation as a method of warfare by restricting humanitarian aid into Gaza, charges he has rejected.

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“By forcibly intercepting and blocking the Madleen, which was carrying humanitarian aid and a crew of solidarity activists, Israel has once again flouted its legal obligations towards civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip,” Amnesty International’s secretary general, Agnès Callamard, said in a statement.

The group called for the immediate and unconditional release of the activists, who it said were on a humanitarian mission.

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Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

From 12h ago 05.54 BST Israel’s defence minister says Madleen passengers will be shown video of 7 October attacks Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, has congratulated the Israeli army on the “quick and safe takeover” of the Madleen , the Gaza-bound aid vessel. Confirming that the passengers onboard – including climate activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan – will be transported to the port of Ashdod, Katz added that he had instructed the IDF to “show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre.” Referring to Thunberg personally, as well as the other activists on board, Katz said he wanted them to “see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organization they came to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself.” The current war in Gaza began after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023 that killed more than 1,200 people, according to an Israeli tally. Gaza’s health ministry says over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of that campaign. Share Updated at 06.17 BST

17m ago 17.57 BST Closing summary Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, congratulated the Israeli army on the “quick and safe takeover” of the Madleen , the Gaza-bound aid vessel. Confirming that the passengers onboard – including climate activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan – will be transported to the port of Ashdod, Katz added that he had instructed the IDF to “show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre.”

Adalah, a rights group in Israel that said it was representing the activists, has claimed that the 12 activists on the Madleen have not yet been brought to the country and they remain at sea. The group said Israel’s Detention Review Tribunal has confirmed that the activists are not currently in its custody and that it appears the authorities intend to deport the individuals upon arrival.

Israeli government spokesman David Mencer described the cargo on the Gaza aid boat as “meagre”. Labelling the ship as a “selfie yacht”, the spokesman claimed less than a truck’s worth of aid was onboard, but said that it would be sent in to Gaza.

Sweden’s ministry of foreign affairs on Monday said that it was aware of the situation on the Madleen and following developments onboard. “The ministry of foreign affairs and the ambassador in Tel Aviv are in contact with local authorities and monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesperson said.

Aid boxes being distributed in Gaza are “simply not enough” and “cannot undo the effects of prolonged starvation”, Oxfam has said. Bushra Khalidi, policy lead at Oxfam, said the nutritional value in the boxes “fall far short of what any principled humanitarian agency with expertise in nutrition and emergency response would recommend”.

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

Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s labour minister and one of the country’s three deputy prime ministers, has criticised Israel’s seizure of the boat and called for a “clear and firm response” from the EU. “I strongly condemn the seizure of the Madleen, which was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza,” she wrote on Bluesky. “This violation of international law demands a clear and firm response from the EU. All my solidarity to the volunteers who are being held. We call for their freeing as soon as possible. #AllEyesOnMadleen“

Israeli fire killed at least 12 people and wounded others as they headed toward two aid distribution points in the Gaza Strip run by an Israeli and US-backed group, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said on Sunday. Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at people who approached its forces. The past two weeks have seen frequent shootings near the new hubs where thousands of Palestinians — desperate after 20 months of war — are being directed to collect food. Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire, and more than 80 people have been killed, according to Gaza hospital officials.

Hundreds of people, mainly Tunisians, launched on Monday a land convoy bound for Gaza, seeking to “break the siege” on the Palestinian territory, activists said. Organisers said the nine-bus convoy was not bringing aid into Gaza, but rather aimed at carrying out a “symbolic act” by breaking the blockade on the territory described by the United Nations as “the hungriest place on Earth”.

Iran said on Monday it will soon present a counter-proposal on a nuclear deal with the US, after it had described Washington’s offer as containing “ambiguities”, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear accord to replace the deal with major powers that US president Donald Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.

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

1h ago 17.04 BST Palestinians inspect the damage in the rubble of the Shaheen family home, in the Saftawi neighbourhood, west of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, after it was targeted in an Israeli strike. View image in fullscreen Palestinians inspect the damage in the rubble of the Shaheen family home, in the Saftawi neighbourhood, west of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, after it was targeted in an Israeli strike on 9 June 2025. Photograph: Bashar Taleb/AFP/Getty Images Share

2h ago 16.24 BST Manisha Ganguly Aid boxes being distributed in Gaza are “simply not enough” and “cannot undo the effects of prolonged starvation”, Oxfam has said. Bushra Khalidi, policy lead at Oxfam, said the nutritional value in the boxes “fall far short of what any principled humanitarian agency with expertise in nutrition and emergency response would recommend”. In an interview with the Guardian, she said: The aid boxes currently being distributed are simply not enough. A few packages of pasta, flour, oil, sugar, and tinned vegetables cannot undo the effects of prolonged starvation. They lack fresh protein, fruits, and vegetables – essential components for the nutrition of a population facing extreme hunger.

What’s more, there is a severe shortage of clean water, fuel, and cooking gas. People cannot prepare meals with dry goods if they have no means to cook, no fuel, and are living under constant bombardment.

The limited contents of these aid boxes fall far short of what any principled humanitarian agency with expertise in nutrition and emergency response would recommend for a population subjected to nearly 20 months of blockade and mass displacement. This is not just inadequate, it risks becoming an extension of a policy that has weaponised starvation.

Children and families need far more than these insufficient food parcels. They need functioning hospitals, clean water, shelter, mental health support, and access to education, none of which are being addressed at scale.

It is misleading to suggest that these limited aid distributions are enough for more than two million Palestinians enduring Israel’s military siege and total blockade for months. Far more must be done to meet even the most basic humanitarian needs. Share

2h ago 15.55 BST Miranda Bryant Sweden’s ministry of foreign affairs on Monday said that it was aware of the situation on the Madleen and following developments onboard. “The ministry of foreign affairs and the ambassador in Tel Aviv are in contact with local authorities and monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesperson said. “Should the need for consular assistance arise, the embassy and the ministry of foreign affairs will assess how we can bets help the Swedish national / Greta Thunberg to solve their situation.” Share

3h ago 15.24 BST Hundreds of people, mainly Tunisians, launched on Monday a land convoy bound for Gaza, seeking to “break the siege” on the Palestinian territory, activists said. Organisers said the nine-bus convoy was not bringing aid into Gaza, but rather aimed at carrying out a “symbolic act” by breaking the blockade on the territory described by the United Nations as “the hungriest place on Earth”. The “Soumoud” convoy, meaning “steadfastness” in Arabic, includes doctors and aims to arrive in Rafah, in southern Gaza, “by the end of the week”, activist Jawaher Channa told AFP. It is set to pass through Libya and Egypt, although Cairo has yet to provide passage permits, she added. “We are about a thousand people, and we will have more join us along the way,” said Channa, spokesperson of the Tunisian Coordination of Joint Action for Palestine, the group organising the caravan. “Egypt has not yet given us permission to cross its borders, but we will see what happens when we get there,” she said. Channa said the convoy was not set to face issues crossing Libya, “whose people have historically supported the Palestinian cause”, despite recent deadly clashes in the country that remains divided between two governments. Algerian, Mauretanian, Moroccan and Libyan activists were also among the group, which is set to travel along the Tunisian and Libyan coasts, before continuing on to Rafah through Egypt. Share

3h ago 15.08 BST Rights group claim activists are still at sea Emma Graham-Harrison Adalah, a rights group in Israel that said it was representing the activists, has claimed that the 12 activists on the Madleen have not yet been brought to the country and they remain at sea. The group said Israel’s Detention Review Tribunal has confirmed that the activists are not currently in its custody and that it appears the authorities intend to deport the individuals upon arrival. It added that because today is not a scheduled hearing day at the Tribunal, any proceedings are expected to take place tomorrow. The group said: Adalah reiterates that the activists on the Flotilla are part of a civilian mission to break the illegal blockade on Gaza. The rights group said the Madleen was unlawfully intercepted in international waters and the activists were detained illegally. Israel has thus far failed to provided sufficient information as to their whereabouts and their legal status, Israel must provide such information immediately and release the unlawfully detained volunteers. Share

3h ago 14.53 BST Israeli government spokesman David Mencer described the cargo on the Gaza aid boat as “meagre”. Labelling the ship as a “selfie yacht”, the spokesman claimed less than a truck’s worth of aid was onboard, but said that it would be sent in to Gaza. He said Israel had taken control of the vessel smoothly, adding that those aboard the vessel would be returned home to their countries as soon as possible. The Madleen said it was attempting to reach the shores of the territory to bring in a symbolic amount of aid and raise international awareness of the continuing humanitarian crisis. Share Updated at 14.54 BST

4h ago 14.41 BST Iran said on Monday it will soon present a counter-proposal on a nuclear deal with the US, after it had described Washington’s offer as containing “ambiguities”, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear accord to replace the deal with major powers that US president Donald Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. The longtime foes have been locked in a diplomatic standoff over Iran’s uranium enrichment, with Tehran defending it as a “non-negotiable” right and Washington describing it as a “red line”. On 31 May, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received “elements” of a US proposal, with Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi later saying the text contained “ambiguities”. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei criticised the US proposal as “lacking elements” reflective of the previous rounds of negotiations, without providing further details. “We will soon submit our own proposed plan to the other side through (mediator) Oman once it is finalised,” Baqaei told a weekly press briefing. “It is a proposal that is reasonable, logical and balanced, and we strongly recommend that the American side value this opportunity.” Iran’s parliament speaker has said the US proposal failed to include the lifting of sanctions – a key demand for Tehran, which has been reeling under their weight for years. Share

4h ago 14.28 BST Trump expected to speak to Netanyahu US president Donald Trump planned to speak with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, a White House official told Reuters.

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

4h ago 14.13 BST Jo-Ann Mort Jo-Ann Mort is co-author of Our Hearts Invented a Place: Can Kibbutzim Survive in Today’s Israel? She writes frequently about Israel for US, UK, and Israeli publications. Emmanuel Macron has become enemy No 1 for the Netanyahu government. That’s because the French president aims to create momentum for a Palestinian state beside Israel encompassing the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and the Gaza Strip, reviving what is fast becoming an out-of-reach possibility – a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians. That’s why Macron has earned the fury of an increasingly unhinged Israeli prime minister. France is expected to co-chair an organizing conference at the United Nations in New York in mid-June, taking advantage of heads of state already in North America for the Canadian-based G7 summit a few days earlier. He hopes this conference will include the all-important Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. Right now, it’s anyone’s guess whether the Saudis show up, as they calculate whether there is enough maneuverability on the Palestinian issue for them to expose themselves. I hope they show up – either at the foreign ministry level or, dramatically, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman himself as co-chair, as Macron initially envisioned. The reality is that with a far-right Israeli government and prime minister in the clutches of its most extreme elements, it’s urgently important for world leaders who want to maintain a two-state option to turn up and shout out. There is no more important figure right now for Macron to have by his side than Prince Mohammed, who could also help influence a US president who presently appears to have no consistent diplomatic strategy for Israel-Palestine. You can read more of Jo-Ann Mort’s opinion piece here: Macron must lead the EU push to end Israel’s war on Gaza Macron must lead the EU push to end Israel’s war on Gaza | Jo-Ann Mort Read more Share

4h ago 13.56 BST The Swedish foreign ministry said it was in contact with Israeli authorities. “Should the need for consular support arise, the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will assess how we can best help the Swedish citizen/Greta Thunberg resolve her situation,” a Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a written statement to Reuters. Share

4h ago 13.54 BST Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer has hit out at Greta Thunberg after her Gaza aid boat was detained. Speaking at a press conference, he addressed her directly and asked “who is really feeding Gaza and who is really feeding their own ego?”. Speaking in a typically combative style, Mencer went on: For the last two weeks alone, Israel has facilitated more than 1,200 trucks laden with aid to enter Gaza. The very latest figures from Gaza are that close to 11 million meals have been delivered directly to Gazans. To those that really do wish to get real aid to Gaza, there are proper, organised channels. Share

5h ago 13.01 BST Palestinians flee their homes after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders, in Jabalia. View image in fullscreen Palestinians flee their homes after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders, in Jabalia. Photograph: Mahmoud Issa/Reuters Share

6h ago 12.18 BST Patrick Wintour Iran has said it will soon start releasing information from a hoard of Israeli nuclear secrets it claims to have obtained, as European countries push for a vote this week on reimposing UN sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme. The unverified claims by Iranian intelligence of a massive leak of Israeli secrets may be designed to turn the focus away from what Iran argues is its own excessively monitored civil nuclear programme. On Sunday, Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, claimed Tehran had obtained “a vast collection of strategic and sensitive [Israeli] documents, including plans and data on the nuclear facilities”. He added evidence would be released shortly, and implied some of the documentation was linked to Israel’s arrest of two Israeli nationals, Roi Mizrahi and Almog Attias, over alleged spying for Iran. Even within Iran there is scepticism that Iranian agents could have obtained such dramatic intelligence. The claim may be designed to warn off Israel from acting on its repeated threat to bomb Iran’s nuclear sites since Iranian insight into Israel’s own nuclear programme would increase the risk of effective Iranian reprisals. European powers are preparing to press for a vote at the quarterly board meeting of the nuclear inspectorate the IAEA in Vienna, which starts on Monday, that could lead to the reimposition of UN sanctions in October. France, Germany and the UK will cite a 20-page comprehensive report commissioned from the IAEA secretariat on Iran’s failure to comply with the nuclear deal agreed in 2015, and Tehran’s years-long failure to answer questions about aspects of its previous nuclear programme. Iran says it will release Israeli nuclear secrets as pressure grows to reimpose sanctions Read more Share

CNN —

Israel has intercepted a Gaza-bound aid ship carrying Greta Thunberg and other prominent activists, detaining those onboard and taking them to Israel.

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.

Climate activist Thunberg and Rima Hassan – a French member of the European Parliament – are among those on the “Madleen.”

“(The vessel) is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a post on X early Monday local time.

Israel plans to bring the detained activists to Ashdod port and then through a “quick deportation process” via Ben-Gurion Airport, according to a source familiar with the matter. They are expected to arrive in Ashdod on Monday evening, local time.

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

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.

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 attorney and Freedom Flotilla organizer. “This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the (International Court of Justice’s) binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.”

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

“I have instructed the IDF to ensure that the ‘Madleen’ flotilla does not reach Gaza,” Israeli defense minister Israel Katz said on Sunday.

After the flotilla crew members were detained, Katz said in a post on X that he had instructed the military to screen videos of the Hamas attacks on Israel from October 7, 2023 to the activists upon their arrival at Ashdod Port.

Crew members of the “Madleen” are seen with their hands in the air as Israeli forces come aboard, in this image from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. Freedom Flotilla Coalition/Freedom Flotilla Coalition/Teleg

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.

In an earlier statement on Monday, the ministry said “unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts.”

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 “due to the risks involved,” a statement from the ministry added.

An Élysée source told CNN that France’s President Emmanuel Macron “has requested that arrangements be made, as quickly as possible, for the return” of its nationals.

The foreign ministry statement also called on the Israeli government to allow “immediate, large-scale, and unhindered access for humanitarian aid to Gaza.”

This handout image from Israel’s foreign ministry shows Freedom Flotilla Coalition aid activists, including Greta Thunberg in the green hat, after their vessel was boarded by the Israeli military. Israel Foreign Ministry/X

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.”

As the “Madleen” was taken to Ashdod, some 15 activists protested the ship’s seizure in the city. The demonstrators carried signs reading, “resist genocide,” “release the Madleen activists now” and “stop state terror.”

“We… have come to express our support and solidarity with the Madleen as part of the Freedom Flotilla, whose activists were abducted by Israel,” one activist is heard saying in English.

The demonstrators were interrupted by a passerby who shouted in Hebrew, “You’re living in Israel,” calling the protesters “bullies” and “hooligans.”

The “Madleen” is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an organization that has campaigned against Israel’s blockade of Gaza and tried to break the siege by boat.

The crew, which had publicized the location of the ship with an online tracker, began preparing for the possibility of interception by the Israeli military. On Monday morning, the UK-flagged civilian vessel was north of Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea, slowly approaching the coast of Gaza, but the tracker has since appeared to have stopped.

“We know that it’s a very risky mission and we know that previous experiences with flotillas like this have resulted in attacks, violence and even cases of death,” Thunberg told CNN on Saturday.

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.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry released this image of Greta Thunberg being offered a pastrami sandwich and a bottle of water after those onboard the “Madleen” were detained by Israel’s military. Israel Foreign Ministry

Faced with growing international pressure, Israel began allowing a trickle of aid in late May. But humanitarian organizations 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.

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed over the past week while on their way to try and obtain aid from a new US-backed group commissioned to deliver aid to Gaza, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The group is intended to replace the UN-led system of distributing aid in Gaza. The United Nations has warned that the new distribution mechanism has become a “death trap” for desperate people seeking food in the strip.

Last month, another vessel from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition came under what its organizers claimed was an Israeli drone attack off the coast of Malta in international waters. The group did not provide evidence that the drone was Israeli, while the Israeli military has declined to comment on the alleged attack.

The ship, the “Conscience,” was heading to Malta, where a large contingent of activists, including Thunberg, were due to board before it departed for Gaza.

The later voyage on the “Madleen,” which was intercepted by Israel, departed from Sicily last Friday.

An earlier version of this article mistakenly stated Irish actor Liam Cunningham was onboard the Madleen. The FFC has confirmed he is not onboard.

Where is the Madleen now?

Emily Atkinson

Live reporter

In case you’re just joining us, we’re waiting for word on the docking of a small aid yacht – the Madleen – that has been intercepted by Israel while on its way to Gaza.

The boat’s current location is still not clear, nor are the time and place it will dock, following conflicting reports from Israeli authorities and local media.

We first heard of the blocking of the vessel just after 05:30 local time (03:30 BST). It was understood to have been sailing near the Egyptian coast at the time.

The yacht’s operator, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition campaign group – of which activist Greta Thunberg is a part – posted a photo showing people in life jackets sitting with their hands up on Telegram.

“SOS! The volunteers on Madleen have been kidnapped by Israeli forces,” it said.

Shortly afterwards, the Israeli foreign ministry said the “unharmed” crew were now “safely” making their way to Israel.

And, just after 08:00 local time, Israel’s defence minister said the intercepted vessel would be taken, along with its crew, to the Israeli port city of Ashdod.

We had been keeping an eye on the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s tracker, but the last live update was recorded around 03:00 local time.

We’re closely monitoring for updates of the ship’s whereabouts. Stay with us.