Israel detains Gaza Flotilla, deports Greta Thunberg: Recalling the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident
Israel's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday (June 10) announced it had deported Swedish activist Greta Thunberg a day after seizing the Madleen, the ship she was on.
In a post on X, the Foreign Ministry wrote, 'Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France).'
Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France). pic.twitter.com/kWrI9KVoqX
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 10, 2025
A British-flagged vessel, the Madleen set sail from Italy last week and carried aid for the people of war-torn Gaza. Twelve passengers, including Thunberg, were on board. It was backed by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), an international movement aiming to end 'the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza'.
Israel's relative restraint in detaining the passengers and moving to deport them marks a sharp contrast to what ensued when another FFC-backed ship, the Conscience, set out to deliver aid to Gaza last month. The ship faced a drone attack in international waters near Malta on May 2, and held Israel responsible.
These actions are not unprecedented. In 2010, Israeli commandos shot dead 10 activists aboard the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, part of a 'freedom flotilla' carrying aid to Gaza in a similar effort. The news triggered international condemnation and strained relations between Israel and Turkey, who were allies at the time.
Turkey condemned the Israeli detention of the Madleen on Monday, calling Israel a 'terrorist state', and the move a 'clear violation of international law'.
The Mavi Marmara was one of six civilian ships which had set sail towards Gaza as part of the 'Gaza Freedom Flotilla': three of these, including the Mavi Marmara, were passenger ships carrying 748 people of 40 nationalities. The other three carried aid meant for Palestine, aiming to breach an Israeli and Egyptian blockade on Gaza. (The flotilla originally included two more ships, which faced engine issues ahead of their start, spurring rumours of Israeli sabotage.)
The Israeli blockade has existed since the '90s, but these restrictions were intensified after Hamas gained control of Gaza in 2007. Egypt closed the Rafah crossing with Gaza that year. Physical barriers were erected around the 365 sq km Gaza Strip in Palestine's southwestern region.
Additionally, Israel had maintained a naval blockade, preventing international ships from entering Gaza or local vessels from leaving the coastal waters. This was intensified in October 2023, following the Hamas attacks on Israel. Soon, Israel stopped the supply of food, water, fuel and electricity into Gaza. Israel briefly loosened the blockade this January following a US-brokered ceasefire, only to reinstate it in March, alleging ceasefire violations by Hamas.
The Freedom Flotilla carried 10,000 tonnes of goods, including school supplies, building materials and two large electricity generators, according to a BBC report. This defied an Israeli directive banning the entry of a wide variety of goods to keep the pressure on Hamas. The flotilla sought to draw international attention to the blockade, which it described as illegal.
The effort was spearheaded by the Free Gaza Movement, a coalition of pro-Palestinian groups challenging the Israeli blockade of Gaza, as well as the Turkish Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH). Notably, Israel had identified the IHH as a terrorist organisation, closely linked to Hamas. Turkey refuted this view, treating it as a bona fide charity, and had urged Israel to allow the flotilla passage.
Israel also wished to verify that the ships did not carry construction materials, weapons or cash. It reportedly asked the flotilla to dock at the Israeli port of Ashdod, and offered to transport all approved goods by road, according to the BBC report.
So what happened on May 31, 2010?
Before dawn broke on May 31, 2010, Israeli naval forces descended on the flotilla from helicopters and warships in international waters between Cyprus and the Gaza Coast. While the timeline is disputed, Israeli officials claimed their troops opened fire after first being attacked by some of the passengers, who 'charged them with knives and sticks and allegedly fired live rounds,' according to a 2010 report of the Financial Times.
In the ensuing melee, nine activists aboard the Mavi Marmara were shot dead, and at least 50 other passengers were wounded, according to the 2010 UN Human Rights Council report, which investigated the incident. One of the wounded remained in a coma for four years before dying. All the deceased were Turkish nationals.
Ten commandos were also reportedly injured in the attack.
Israel-Turkey relations
After Israel was carved out of then-Mandatory Palestine in 1948, Turkey became the first Muslim-majority country to recognise the nation a year later. However, the relations between the two have progressed in waves, with Turkey periodically expressing its support for Palestine's right to self-determination.
The 2010 attack came during a fraught diplomatic period and saw bilateral relations devolve within just hours. Turkey recalled its ambassador from Israel, while Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then the Prime Minister, accused Israel of overseeing 'inhuman state terror'.
Both countries hurled accusations over the following years, with Turkey demanding an apology from Israel, and Israel claiming it had a right to defend itself. However, efforts towards normalising relations unexpectedly commenced in 2013, with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu tendering an apology, and the two countries agreeing to a system of compensation for the victims' families. Relations were normalised in 2016.
The two countries have since faced a very rocky relationship, with Israel's policy on Palestine remaining a flashpoint. In 2024, Turkey severed all diplomatic ties with Israel over its unwillingness to end its war in Gaza.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
30 minutes ago
- India Today
Watch: Houthi missile nearly strikes civilian jet, intercepted mid-air over Israel
A tragedy was narrowly avoided on Tuesday evening after a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels nearly struck a civilian aircraft flying over Israel. According to Israel's military war room, the missile was successfully intercepted in midair by Israeli defence systems."A Houthi ballistic missile launched at Israeli civilians nearly hit a civilian plane. If not for the competence of Israeli air defences, there could have been a mass casualty event caused by Iranian-backed terrorists," the Israeli warroom stated in a post on X, sharing a video of the incident. The footage shows the plane passing by moments before the missile was intercepted.#WATCH: Earlier today, a Houthi ballistic missile launched at Israeli civilians nearly hit a civilian plane. If not for the competence of Israeli air defenses, there could have been a mass casualty event caused by Iranian-backed terrorists. Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) June 11, 2025advertisement"The missile fired at Israel on Tuesday broke up into multiple parts after being hit by an interceptor, leading the Israeli Air Force to launch additional interceptors to shoot down the fragments," a military official said as quoted by The Times of Israel. According to reports, at least seven interceptors were used during the mission. The Iran-backed Houthis took responsibility for the attack. They claimed that to have launched two ballistic missiles at Ben Gurion Airport in central the past, partially intercepted Houthi missiles have led to casualties when remaining warhead fragments landed in populated RESPONDS WITH FIRST NAVAL STRIKE ON YEMENThe attack set off air raid sirens throughout central Israel, the Jerusalem area, southern West Bank, and parts of southern Israel. Residents in impacted areas received a long-range missile warning via mobile alerts two minutes prior to the sirens. Five minutes before the sirens sounded, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) also issued a notice to the January 2025, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire, but the Houthis continued to fire. They had fired more than 40 ballistic missiles, dozens of drones and cruise missiles. One of those missiles killed a civilian and injured multiple others in Tel Aviv in July, which prompted Israel to launch its first strike in Houthis have fired at least 11 drones and 48 ballistic missiles at Israel since the IDF's assault against Hamas in the Gaza Strip resumed on March Watch
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Ballymena riots: Fires rage as protests over alleged assault fuel anti-immigrant unrest in Northern Ireland
More than 30 police officers have been injured in Northern Ireland after two nights of violent rioting in Ballymena, triggered by the court appearance of two 14-year-old boys charged with the attempted sexual assault of a teenage girl. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The unrest, which police described as 'hate-fuelled acts and mob rule,' has targeted homes, businesses and vehicles prompting fears of further escalation across the region. The violence began Monday, shortly after the accused teens appeared in court and denied the charges through a Romanian interpreter. The case has inflamed anti-immigrant sentiments in the town of about 31,000 people, amplified by far-right social media accounts that celebrated the riots and shared live footage. By Tuesday night, police in Ballymena came under 'sustained attack' from rioters using petrol bombs, bricks, and fireworks. Seventeen officers were injured that night alone, while by Wednesday, the total number of injured officers had risen to 32. A pregnant woman had to be evacuated from a burning home, local politician Sian Mulholland told BBC's Good Morning Ulster. 'People are waking up today feeling genuine fear for their lives and their livelihoods,' said Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). 'We have seen a number of calls over social media for protest activity this evening... It can be difficult to assess how much and where that will be.' Clonavon Terrace, the epicentre of the unrest, was quiet by Wednesday afternoon, but its charred remains spoke volumes: smashed windows, burned-out furniture, and flags on homes identifying the nationalities of those inside. One sign read, 'British household,' a symbol of fear within immigrant communities trying to avoid becoming targets. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Police have declared the attacks on four homes, believed to be racially motivated, as hate crimes. 'When I watch families having their doors kicked in who happen to be from our diverse communities, I have to call that out for the racist behaviour that it is,' Henderson said. The riots quickly spread beyond Ballymena. Protesters blocked roads and clashed with police in Belfast, Newtownabbey, and Carrickfergus. In response, officers in riot gear deployed water cannon and fired non-lethal rounds known as attenuated energy projectiles. Cars were set alight, bins torched, and masonry hurled at officers. Police are now requesting reinforcements from mainland Britain to cope with the unrest. Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill called the attacks 'abhorrent,' adding, 'No one, now or ever, should feel the need to place a sticker on their door to identify their ethnicity just to avoid being targeted.' The British and Irish governments also condemned the violence. 'This appalling violence and vandalism must cease immediately,' said UK Northern Ireland Minister Hilary Benn, warning that those responsible would face justice.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Iran claims US bases to be targeted if conflict breaks out between countries
Iran threatened Wednesday to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out, while President Donald Trump said he was "less confident" about reaching a nuclear deal. Amid escalating tensions, a US official said staff levels at the embassy in Iraq were being reduced over security concerns, while the UK Maritime Trade Operations, run by the British navy, advised ships to transit the Gulf with caution. Watch: Iran swears to annihilate Israel in revenge: who will strike first & why? Here are 5 deadly triggers Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear deal to replace the 2015 accord that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. Since returning to office in January, Trump has revived his "maximum pressure" campaign on Tehran, backing nuclear diplomacy but warning of military action if it fails. Also Read: Trump travel ban shows 'deep hostility' towards Iranians, Muslims, says Iran "All its bases are within our reach, we have access to them, and without hesitation we will target all of them in the host countries," Iran's Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said in response to US threats of military action if the talks fail. "God willing, things won't reach that point, and the talks will succeed," the minister said, adding that the US side "will suffer more losses" if it came to conflict. The United States has multiple bases in the Middle East, with the largest located in Qatar. Also Read: Why has Iran been banning people from walking dogs in public? Iran and the United States have recently been locked in a diplomatic standoff over Iran's uranium enrichment, with Tehran defending it as a "non-negotiable" right and Washington calling it as a "red line". Trump had previously expressed optimism about the talks, saying during a Gulf tour last month Washington was "getting close" to securing a deal. But in an interview published Wednesday, Trump said he was "less confident" the United States and Iran could reach a deal, in response to a question on whether he believed he could stop Tehran from enriching uranium. 'A shame' Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal and close though still short of the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead. Western countries, including the United States and its ally Israel, have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire atomic weapons, while Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes. Last week, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said enrichment is "key" to Iran's nuclear programme and that Washington "cannot have a say" on the issue. During the interview with the New York Post's podcast "Pod Force One", which was recorded on Monday, Trump said he was losing hope a deal could be reached. "I don't know. I did think so, and I'm getting more and more -- less confident about it. They seem to be delaying and I think that's a shame. I am less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago," he said. "Something happened to them but I am much less confident of a deal being made... Maybe they don't wanna make a deal, what can I say? And maybe they do. There is nothing final." Trump maintained that Washington would not allow Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons, saying "it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying". On May 31, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received "elements" of a US proposal for a nuclear deal, with Araghchi later saying the text contained "ambiguities". Iran has said it will present a counter-proposal to the latest draft from Washington, which it had criticised for failing to offer relief from sanctions -- a key demand for Tehran, which has been reeling under their weight for years. On Monday, the United Nations nuclear watchdog began a Board of Governors meeting in Vienna that will last until Friday to discuss Iran's atomic activities and other issues. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting followed a report issued by it criticising "less than satisfactory" cooperation from Tehran, particularly in explaining past cases of nuclear material found at undeclared sites. Iran has criticised the IAEA report as unbalanced, saying it relied on "forged documents" provided by its arch-foe Israel. In January 2020, Iran fired missiles at bases in Iraq housing American troops in retaliation for the US strike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani days before at Baghdad airport. Dozens of US soldiers suffered traumatic brain injuries.
