Israeli forces intercepted the British-flagged yacht Madleen early Monday morning, detaining Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and about a dozen others who were trying to break Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The anti-Zionist Freedom Flotilla ship, which set out from Sicily on June 1, intended to deliver symbolic aid – rice, baby food and medicine – to the devastated enclave, while protesting Israel's restrictions amid cuts in food supplies to Gaza.
Critics have dismissed the move as a publicity stunt by Thunberg, 22, who has used the global recognition she gained as a teenager as a climate activist to rail against Israel in the wake of October 7.
“The 'celebrity' selfie yacht is safely heading to the shores of Israel,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on the X website early Monday morning.
The ministry added that those on board the vessel “were provided with sandwiches and water” and “are awaiting return to their home countries.”
It also noted that the “small amount of aid” carried by the ship “will be transferred to Gaza through genuine humanitarian channels.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who vowed Sunday to prevent the sailing vessel from reaching Gaza, congratulated the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “for the swift and safe capture” of the vessel.
Katz added that he had instructed the IDF to show passengers video footage of the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, in which more than 1,200 Israelis were killed, triggering the current war in the Gaza Strip.
In a series of X messages, the Freedom Flotilla falsely claimed that its passengers had been “kidnapped” by Israeli forces. “Put pressure on the foreign ministries and help us ensure their safety!” it added.
Passengers, including Thunberg, also released pre-recorded video messages that were uploaded to social media after the yacht was intercepted.
“I call on all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible,” Thunberg said.
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, called for the “immediate release” of the Madeline crew. Israel declared Albanese persona non grata last year after she said the October 7 massacre was not caused by anti-Semitism but by Israel’s “oppression” of Palestinians.
On Sunday, Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry said the death toll in the Gaza war had reached 54,880, most of them civilians. The UN says the figures are credible, but Israel disputes them.
Israel's blockade has put hundreds of thousands of Palestinians at risk of starvation, United Nations officials say.
A European Commission spokesman said on Monday evening that Brussels had “seen reports” of the yacht being intercepted, but stressed that “the authorities responsible for providing consular protection are the states of which they are citizens.”
“The EU once again urges for an immediate, unimpeded and sustainable resumption of large-scale aid to Gaza in full compliance with humanitarian principles, and calls for an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages,” the spokesman added.
In a joint statement released on Monday evening, progressive groups in the European Parliament called on Israel to release the detained crew members.
“While we acknowledge that humanitarian aid must be delivered through safe and coordinated channels, the desperation behind this civilian initiative demonstrates the failure of the international community, including the European Union, to ensure safe, sustainable and sufficient access to life-saving aid for the more than two million people trapped in the Gaza Strip,” said a statement signed by the Socialists and Democrats, Greens/EFA and The Left groups.
The statement also called on the Commission and EU member states to “redouble their efforts to address the humanitarian catastrophe” in the enclave.
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