‘Israel' Intercepts 'Madleen Ship', Activists Detained
Israeli occupation forces have attacked a humanitarian aid ship bound for Gaza as the vessel approached the coastal waters of the besieged Palestinian territory.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the organizer of the voyage, reported on Telegram that the Israeli army boarded the ship, arrested the solidarity volunteers on board, and lost contact with the ship. Meanwhile, the ship's alarm was sounded and life jackets were prepared in anticipation of a possible interception.
Israeli army is now on board. Contact has been lost with the vessel. pic.twitter.com/MwSBHv3ySc
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) June 9, 2025
Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, who was on board the ship, posted images of the sirens sounding. She later explained that a drone had flown overhead and dropped an unknown white liquid.
As the Madleen set sail from the Italian port of Catania last Sunday, bound for Gaza to deliver aid and break the Israeli blockade on the Strip, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the army to prevent it from reaching Gaza, accusing the activists of being 'propaganda mouthpieces for Hamas.'
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is among the volunteers aboard the Madleen who have been kidnapped by Israeli forces.
She calls on the Swedish government to take immediate action to ensure her and others safety and release. pic.twitter.com/jsvyooF8rw
— WAFA News Agency – English (@WAFANewsEnglish) June 9, 2025
The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that the navy directed the ship to change course as it approached a 'restricted zone.' About an hour later, it was announced that the ship had been escorted to the Israeli coast, noting that 'the passengers are expected to return to their countries.' The Ministry added that 'the small amount of aid on board the yacht, which the celebrities did not consume, will be transferred to Gaza through genuine humanitarian channels.'
Hamas Demands Release of Activists
For its part, Hamas demanded the release of the detainees, holding the occupation fully responsible for their safety.In a statement, the movement condemned the crime of piracy committed by the occupation forces by intercepting the ship in international waters, forcibly preventing it from reaching the Gaza Strip, escorting it to the port of Ashdod, and detaining those on board. Hamas described this as 'organized state terrorism, a flagrant violation of international law, and an attack on civilian volunteers acting out of humanitarian motives.'
Hamas called on the United Nations and international organizations to condemn this crime and take urgent action to break the blockade on Gaza.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LBCI
an hour ago
- LBCI
Israel urges Egypt to block Gaza-bound activist convoy
Israel's defense minister on Wednesday called on Egypt to block a hundreds-strong pro-Palestinian activist convoy from reaching Gaza as the group arrived in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. "I expect the Egyptian authorities to prevent the arrival of jihadist protesters at the Egypt-Israel border and not to allow them to carry out provocations or attempt to enter Gaza -- an act that would endanger the safety of (Israeli) soldiers and will not be allowed," Israel Katz said in a statement. AFP
MTV Lebanon
4 hours ago
- MTV Lebanon
Aoun reassures merchants: Reforms underway, no challenge is insurmountable
President of the Republic Joseph Aoun emphasized the state's firm commitment to implementing structural reforms, combating corruption, and reinforcing the rule of law during a meeting with a delegation from the Beirut Merchants Association. He underlined the central role of the judiciary in restoring confidence and confirmed that reform tracks have already begun. Addressing economic concerns, Aoun acknowledged the hardship faced by the commercial sector and broader population but stressed that recovery requires time and collective effort. 'The train is now on the right track,' he said, calling on all sectors — including the commercial — to contribute to national recovery. Moreover, the President praised the resilience of Lebanese merchants, urging solidarity and perseverance: 'There is no such thing as impossible. The road is difficult, but we can overcome it.' Aoun also highlighted progress in security, reaffirming the military's role in asserting state authority and efforts to resolve arms issues in Palestinian camps through coordination with President Mahmoud Abbas.
Ya Libnan
4 hours ago
- Ya Libnan
Growing fears of massive strikes on Iran as nuclear negotiations sputter
If the U.S.-Iranian talks fail, and strikes on Iran occur, the ramifications could be very far-reaching. U.S. President Donald Trump has been presented with a broad array of potential military options against Iran should ongoing nuclear negotiations with that country fail. Israel is already reportedly moving ever closer to at least being in a position to launch its own strikes on Iranian nuclear sites . The direct and indirect blowback from any such operations against Iran could be immense. Fears that U.S.-Iranian nuclear talks are on the verge of collapse have been steadily growing in the past week or so amid statements from both sides outlining potentially intractable positions. Iran's ability to continue domestic enrichment of nuclear material that could be used to produce nuclear weapons has emerged as a key stumbling block to reaching a deal. 'If the President directed [it], is CENTCOM [U.S. Central Command] prepared to respond with overwhelming force to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran?' Congressman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, asked U.S. Army Gen. Michael 'Erik' Kurilla at a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee today. Kurilla is currently head of CENTCOM, making him the top officer overseeing operations across the Middle East. 'I have provided the Secretary of Defense [Pete Hegseth] and the President [Trump] a wide range of options,' Kurilla said in response. 'I take that as a yes?' Rogers, the present chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, asked in return, appearing to refer to the specific wording of his question, to include the possible use of 'overwhelming force.' 'Yes,' Kurrila said. Top U.S. military commander in the Middle East General Kurilla confirms that he has presented military options on Iran to President Trump & SecDef Hegseth in House Armed Services Committee this morning. It is important to note here that U.S. presidents and defense secretaries regularly ask to be briefed on potential military options in light of crises or heightened risks of one erupting. Being presented with a full range of operational possibilities, including large-scale strikes or other significant direct action, does not mean the United States is automatically committed to pursuing any specific course of action, something we will come back to later on. Publicly, Trump has consistently advocated for reaching a deal with Iran to avoid any need to take military action, though he has also raised the possibility of military action in the event talks reach a dead end. He has separately said that he has pressed his Israeli counterpart, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to hold off on striking Iranian targets while negotiations are ongoing. There have been reports of significant friction between the two leaders , as well. Amid all this, the U.S. president is said to be facing increasingly intense pressure from a faction of domestic political allies to acquiesce to and/or join in on Israeli attacks on Iran, according to a new report just today from Politico . TWZ
