People buried under rubble after Israel targets Hamas leader in hospital strike
Israel has targeted Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar in a strike on a hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday evening, sources say.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Gaza-bound aid boat with Greta Thunberg on board arrives in Israel after seizure
A Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists has arrived at an Israeli port after Israeli forces stopped and detained them – enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the Israel-Hamas war. The boat, accompanied by Israel's navy, arrived in Ashdod in the evening, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry. It published a photo on social media of Ms Thunberg after disembarking. The 'Selfie Yacht' docked at Ashdod Port a short while ago. The passengers are currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health. — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025 The 12 activists were undergoing medical checks to ensure they are in good health, the ministry said. They were expected to be held at a detention facility in Ramle before being deported, according to Adalah, a legal rights group representing them. The activists had set out to protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which is among the deadliest and most destructive since the Second World War, and its restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid. Both have put the territory of around two million Palestinians at risk of famine. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organised the voyage, said the activists were 'kidnapped by Israeli forces' while trying to deliver desperately needed aid. 'The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted and its life-saving cargo – including baby formula, food and medical supplies – confiscated,' it said in a statement. It said the ship was seized in international waters about 200 kilometres (120 miles) from Gaza, and Adalah asserted that Israel had 'no legal authority' to take it over. Israel's Foreign Ministry portrayed the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying on social media that 'the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel'. It said the activists would return to their home countries and the aid would be sent to Gaza through established channels. It circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing life vests. Israeli officials said the flotilla carried what amounted to less than a truckload of aid. 'This wasn't humanitarian aid. It's Instagram activism,' Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said. 'Meanwhile, Israel has delivered over 1,200 truckloads in the last two weeks. So who's really feeding Gaza and who's really feeding their own ego? Greta was not bringing aid, she was bringing herself.' After its two-and-a-half month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers and experts have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. About 600 trucks of aid entered daily during the ceasefire that Israel ended in March. An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after two drones attacked the vessel in international waters off Malta, organisers said. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the ship's front section. The Madleen set sail from Sicily a week ago. Along the way, it stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by Libya'a coast guard. '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,' Ms Thunberg said in a pre-recorded message released after the ship was halted. Adalah, the rights group, said in a statement that 'the arrest of the unarmed activists, who operated in a civilian manner to provide humanitarian aid, amounts to a serious breach of international law'. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was among those on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies towards the Palestinians. She was among six French citizens on board. French President Emmanuel Macron called for consular protection and the repatriation of the French citizens. 'Most of all, France calls for a ceasefire as quickly as possible and the lifting of the humanitarian blockade. This is a scandal, unacceptable, that is playing out in Gaza. What's been happening since early March is a disgrace, a disgrace,' Mr Macron said. Next week, Mr Macron co-hosts a conference at the UN on a two-state solution and recently said France should move towards recognising a Palestinian state. Swedish foreign minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said the crew and passengers were aware of the risks, Swedish news agency TT reported. Ms Stenergard said the ministry's assessment is that no-one was in danger and there was no need for consular support. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's Palestinian population. Israel sealed off Gaza from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7 2023 but later relented under US 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 October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas still holds 55 hostages, more than half believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but has said that women and children make up most of the dead. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the population, leaving people almost completely dependent on international aid. Efforts to broker another truce have been deadlocked for months. Hamas says it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Israel has vowed to continue the war until all the captives are returned and Hamas is defeated, or disarmed and exiled.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'Violation of int'l law': Hamas, foreign gov'ts attack Israel over interception of Gaza flotilla
The IDF boarded the 'Madleen' early on Monday, taking the crew and the ship to the Port of Ashdod, where they would be sent back to their respective countries. Varying reactions were issued on Monday after the IDF intercepted the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, Madleen, early in the morning. Foreign ministries with citizens on board the ship confirmed that they have requested consular access. The IDF boarded the Madleen at around 3 a.m., and took the crew and the ship to the Port of Ashdod, where they would be sent back to their respective countries, with Defense Minister Israel Katz instructing that the passengers view footage from Hamas's October 7 attacks. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is "urgently working to locate the 11 international volunteers, and one journalist abducted from the civilian aid ship Madleen," the group's press officer said in a statement on Monday. "According to the Israeli Immigration Authority, they are not in its custody. [Adalah] has repeatedly contacted Israeli military officials but has yet to receive any response to its inquiries or letters since the early hours of the morning," the statement said. Hamas condemned the interception in a statement posted to the group's Telegram. "Intercepting the Madleen at sea and preventing it from delivering symbolic aid to our people, who are facing a war of genocide, constitutes state terrorism, a blatant violation of international law, and an assault on civilian volunteers motivated by humanitarian concerns," the terror group said. Spain summoned the head of the Israeli embassy, Dan Porez, in Madrid, for a reprimand on Monday afternoon, in response to the IDF's actions. Israel does not have an ambassador in Spain currently, due to its anti-Israel policy. French President Emmanuel Macron asked for the six French citizens aboard the Madleen to be released "as soon as possible," according to Israeli media. According to reports, France requested consular access to the six citizens aboard the Madleen as soon as the IDF boarded the vessel, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Monday, adding that France had forewarned each of the activists of the risks surrounding their trip. "As soon as the vessel was stopped, we asked to allow consular protection for them on our behalf. Our consulate asked to visit them as soon as they arrived in Israeli territory, in order to verify that their condition is normal and to facilitate their rapid return to France." "France calls on the Israeli government to allow immediate, widespread and unhindered access for humanitarian aid to Gaza," Barrot added. The German Ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, confirmed that the embassy is in contact with Israeli authorities regarding a German citizen aboard the boat, who has been offered consular assistance. Turkey on Monday condemned the interception, which it said was carrying Turkish citizens as well as activist Greta Thunberg among its 12-strong crew, calling the move a "clear violation of international law." The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the intervention threatened maritime security and "once again demonstrates that Israel is acting as a terror state."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Greta Thunberg's 'Madleen' docks in Ashdod port, crew offered to watch Oct. 7 footage
The Defense Ministry announced that the flotilla was making its way to Israeli shores and that all passengers were expected to return to their home countries. The 12 activists who boarded the Gaza Freedom Flotilla have arrived at the port in Ashdod alongside Shayetet 13, the IDF's elite navy seals unit, on Monday night. According to Ynet, the passengers were given the option to view footage from Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel, but will not be forced to watch it. The IDF intercepted the Madleen early Monday morning at about 3 a.m., boarding the ship and detaining the passengers after the activists ignored repeated warnings to turn back from breaching Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. Israel's position, since Hamas carried out a coup against the Palestinian Authority and took over Gaza in 2007, has been that a naval blockade of Gaza is legal since Hamas is a terror group in a state of war with Israel. Jerusalem also argues that it is necessary to block Iran from smuggling in high-quality missiles, such as those the Yemeni Houthis and other Iranian proxies possess. The activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, French-Palestinian European Parliament Member Rima Hassan, and Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham, were trying to raise awareness of their opposition to Israel's invasion of Gaza, its blocking of certain international groups from directly distributing food aid in Gaza, and the naval blockade in general. Since 2010, there have been several attempts by global critics of Israel to break Israel's naval blockade. However, in recent years, many of those attempts were stopped by drones, insurance lawsuits, and other tactics. In 2010, 10 activists were killed by the IDF after they attacked Israeli Navy commandos boarding the ship with crowbars and other makeshift weapons, badly injuring at least one. Since then, the IDF has clarified procedures to avoid altercations and has boarded and safely taken control of other ships that tried to break the blockade. There have also been incidents, such as the Karine A cargo ship in 2002 and the Victoria cargo ship in 2011, where the navy has intercepted and commandeered weapons-smuggling vessels without either side being badly injured. According to a Foreign Ministry post on X/Twitter, 'All the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over.' Sources told The Jerusalem Post that the 12 activists would be sent back to their home countries as quickly as possible in order to wrap up the episode. At press time, multiple home countries of the activists were demanding consular access to their citizens while in Israeli custody. While the media has been covering the flotilla's sailing progress toward Israel for some time, at 1:17 a.m. on Monday, the activists started to signal that the Israeli Navy was bearing down on them. The flotilla's Telegram account reported that alarms sounded on the ship, and life jackets were being prepared. One of the flotilla participants Yasmine Najer uploaded a video to her Instagram account and explained why the alarm in the flotilla was activated: 'We are very close to Gaza. The reason we activated the alarm is that four ships surrounded us and two approached to a distance of about 200 meters – this has not happened before. So that is why we sounded the alarm.' Around that time, the Israeli Navy used an international civilian communication system to communicate with the Madleen, ordering it to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area. 'If you wish to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, you are able to do so through the Port of Ashdod via the established channels and distribution zones,' said an Israeli sailor on a video distributed by the Foreign Ministry. The ministry later announced that the flotilla, referring to it as the 'selfie yacht,' was making its way to Israeli shores. 'While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity – and which included less than a single truckload of aid – more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks,' the ministry said in an official statement. 'There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip – they do not involve Instagram selfies.' The ministry then added that the aid on the flotilla, which it described as 'tiny,' would be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels. In recent days, the Madleen's official tracker had shown the ship edging closer to the Gaza coastline, and Shayetet 13 had already begun training to board the ship, which the Post had learned could happen 'soon.' However, IDF officials had been circumspect about sharing exact details. Even after the operation, unusually, the Foreign Ministry, and not the IDF, took the lead in publicizing details of the event. The vessel left a week ago from the city of Catania in Sicily. The IDF had stated that it would intercept the vessel before it reached Gaza. The activists on board reported that they would attempt to livestream the IDF's takeover of the vessel. Amichai Stein and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
