NEW DELHI — Israeli naval commandos intercepted the British-flagged
humanitarian yacht Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC),
as it attempted to breach Israel’s long-standing naval blockade of the Gaza
Strip.
Among those aboard were renowned climate activist Greta Thunberg
and Rima Hassan, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).
In a series of posts on X, Hassan stated that Israeli
forces boarded the vessel around 2 a.m. while it was sailing in international
waters.
"The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by
the Israeli army in international waters around 2 a.m. Actions are coming --
stay tuned," she wrote on X.
One photo shared by Hassan showed individuals wearing
life jackets, seated with their hands raised, suggesting they were detained.
The FFC confirmed via Telegram that all communication
with Madleen had been lost and accused Israeli forces of "kidnapping"
the activists.
Meanwhile, Greta Thunberg also posted a video appealing
to the Swedish government for the release of the volunteers.
"If you see this video, we have been intercepted and
kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces
that support Israel. I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure
on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as
possible," she said in the video message.
The Madleen, which set sail from Sicily, was reportedly
carrying humanitarian supplies, including rice and baby formula. The mission
aimed to deliver aid to Gaza and challenge the Israeli naval blockade, which
has been in place since 2007.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the initiative,
calling the Madleen a "selfie yacht of the celebrities," and claimed
the activists were engaging in a media stunt.
In a post on X, the Ministry stated, “While Greta and
others attempted to stage a media provocation... more than 1,200 aid trucks
have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks,” adding that nearly 11
million meals had been distributed in the enclave through official humanitarian
channels. “There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not
involve Instagram selfies,” the Ministry said.
This incident marks the second failed attempt by the FFC
to reach Gaza in recent months.
Earlier in May, the group's vessel Conscience was
reportedly damaged in an alleged drone attack in international waters near
Malta, a strike the FFC attributes to Israel. The Israeli government has
neither confirmed nor denied involvement in that incident.
