Israeli Forces Seize Gaza-Bound Aid Boat with Greta Thunberg Aboard
JERUSALEM, June 9 (Reuters) — Israeli forces have seized control of a British-flagged aid vessel attempting to breach the naval blockade of Gaza, with climate activist Greta Thunberg among those on board, officials confirmed Sunday.
The yacht Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was carrying 12 passengers and a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid intended for the Gaza Strip. The group hoped to highlight the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
According to the FFC, the boat was intercepted during the night before reaching Gaza’s coast. The Israeli Foreign Ministry later confirmed the vessel was under Israeli control, posting on X:
“The ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries.”
The ministry added that all aboard were unharmed and had been given food and water. “The show is over,” the statement concluded.
Thunberg was accompanied by Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament, and other international activists. Hassan said on X the group was detained in international waters around 2 a.m., sharing a photo showing crew members seated on deck with hands raised and wearing life jackets.
The boat was reportedly carrying a small shipment of aid, including rice and baby formula. Israeli authorities stated the supplies would be redirected to Gaza through formal humanitarian channels.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered the operation to prevent the boat from reaching Gaza, calling the voyage “a propaganda effort in support of Hamas.”
Israel’s naval blockade has been in place since 2007, when Hamas took control of Gaza. Israeli officials say it is necessary to prevent weapons from reaching the militant group. The blockade has remained in force throughout the current war, which began on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas-led attack that killed over 1,200 people in southern Israel, according to Israeli figures.
Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed amid Israel’s military campaign. The United Nations warns that the vast majority of Gaza’s 2 million residents are at risk of famine.
UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese supported the flotilla and urged other civilian missions to follow.
“Madleen’s journey may have ended, but the mission isn’t over. Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid and solidarity to Gaza,” she wrote on X.
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