CHRIS PLEASANCE explains why the IDF HAD to act when Greta Thunberg's 'freedom flotilla' got within 17 miles of gaza
Israel has a lot of reasons for imposing a naval blockade on Gaza, none of which are directly to do with stopping aid from getting in, Chris Pleasance explains why the IDF stopped the 'freedom flotilla' when they did.
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Times
14 minutes ago
- Times
Israel seizes Greta Thunberg's aid boat the Madleen
Israeli forces have taken command of a charity boat on its way to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid — and the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The Freedom Flotilla vessel Madleen, which had tried to break a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, is now heading to a port in Israel, officials said on Sunday. It was boarded during the night, and the Israeli foreign ministry later confirmed that it was under Israeli control. 'The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,' the ministry wrote on X. 'The show is over.' It shared a video showing soldiers handing out sandwiches and water bottles to the detained activists as they were escorted to the Ashdod port. In one picture, a soldier proffered a sandwich to Thunberg as she smiled awkwardly. 'Greta Thunberg is currently on her way to Israel, safe and in good spirits,' the ministry said. Israeli media reported that the activists would be made to watch footage of Hamas killing Israelis on October 7, 2023, when the group attacked Israel and sparked the war. All passengers were safe and unharmed, the ministry said. 'They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over.' The Madleen was reportedly flying the red ensign, the UK's shipping flag, suggesting that the UK government retains jurisdiction over the ship even if it was in international waters. Israel had previously requested that Britain attempt to prevent the ship travelling towards Gaza, according to Israeli media reports. Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian territories, posted on X: 'As the Madleen was reportedly intercepted and seized by Israeli forces in int'l waters, the UK gov must urgently seek full clarification and secure the immediate release of the vessel & its crew.' The Freedom Flotilla Coalition posted a video message from Thunberg early on Monday, recorded before the vessel was boarded. The Swedish climate activist said: 'If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israel 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 added. The French MEP Rima Hassan, who was also on board, posted on X: 'The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2am.' She shared a photograph of the crew seated wearing life jackets, with their hands in the air. Yasemin Acar, another activist, said in a livestreamed video from the boat that 'chemicals' had been dropped on the boat which were affecting her eyes. She showed a white substance on the deck. An Israeli military official told The Times that after 'several attempts' and the 'refusal of the individuals to change direction', Israeli soldiers used paint 'which is not harmful or dangerous' to stop the boat violating the naval blockade. On Sunday the Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced that an alarm had been sounded and the boat's occupants were preparing for an interception. Israel Katz, the defence minister, wrote on X: 'I have instructed the IDF to act to stop the hate-flotilla Madleen from reaching the shores of Gaza — and to take any means necessary to that end.' • 'It's high spirits': life aboard Greta Thunberg's Gaza-bound flotilla Katz said: 'To the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propaganda spokespeople, I say clearly: You should turn back — because you will not reach Gaza. Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or aid terrorist organisations — at sea, in the air and on land.' The Madleen — which is carrying 12 people including Thunberg and Hassan — was in Egyptian waters on Sunday evening. It departed from Sicily on June 1 carrying medical supplies, baby formula and prosthetic limbs for the people of Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition responded in a statement on X saying it expected 'interception and an attack from Israel at any moment'. It called for the governments of those on board to protect them. Thiago Ávila, another activist on board, posted a video on social media saying the boat's navigation devices had been disabled. 'They are preparing to stop us or attack us,' he said. It is possible that this was only a temporary shutdown, since the boat could still be seen on the coalition's Madleen Tracker website. The trip has already made headlines after the Madleen picked up four Sudanese migrants who were trying to escape the Libyan authorities. The migrants had jumped into the sea from a boat that was rapidly deflating, a representative for the Freedom Flotilla said. Israel had warned the Madleen not to attempt to dock, saying that if the boat failed to turn back, it would pull the ship to the port of Ashdod and deport its crew. But the activists had reason to be cautious, reminded of when Israel stormed the Mavi Marmara flotilla on May 31, 2010, in international waters 80 miles from the Israeli coast. Descending on ropes from helicopters, Israeli commandos opened fire, killing nine Turkish activists on board, after the activists attacked the soldiers. A tenth activist remained in a coma before dying four years later. The survivors were taken to Ashdod deported within days. Hassan said there had been a lack of official response from countries whose citizens are part of the crew. 'No state has responded,' she said. 'The message being sent is that Israel is being allowed to act with impunity, without any guarantee of protection for us. 'There are 12 of us civilians on board. We are not armed. There is only humanitarian aid.' Some of the activists on board have been criticised for their past remarks against Israel. Hassan, who is barred from entering the country, is reported to have accused Israel of being responsible for the October 7 attack, while Ávila attended the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah — which is deemed a terrorist group by the UK and the US — after he was assassinated last year.
The Independent
14 minutes ago
- The Independent
A convoy sets off for Gaza from North Africa to protest Israel's blockade
A convoy of buses and private cars departed for Gaza from Tunisia's capital Monday as part of efforts to spotlight Israel 's blockade on humanitarian aid to the territory, even as Israeli authorities stopped a high-profile flotilla from landing there. The overland effort — organized independently but moved up to coincide with the flotilla — is made up of activists, lawyers and medical professionals from North Africa. It plans to traverse Tunisia, Libya and Egypt before reaching Rafah, the border crossing with Egypt that has remained largely closed since Israel's military took control of the Gaza side in May 2024. The Tunisian civil society groups behind the convoy said their aim is to demand 'the immediate lifting of the unjust siege on the strip.' They asserted that Arab governments haven't pushed enough to end the 20-month war between Israel and Hamas. After a 2½-month blockade of Gaza aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing in some basic aid last month. Experts, however, have warned of famine in the territory of over 2 million people unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. The convoy set off as the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an aid ship that set sail from Sicily earlier this month, was seized by Israeli forces in what activists said were international waters. Those aboard, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, were detained. The overland convoy drew widespread attention in Tunisia and Algeria, where it began Sunday, with some people waving Palestinian flags and chanting in support of the people of Gaza. "This convoy speaks directly to our people in Gaza and says, 'You are not alone. We share your pain and suffering,'" Yahia Sarri, one of the convoy's Algerian organizers, wrote on social media. The North African activists do not expect their convoy to be allowed into Gaza. Regardless, it provides 'a message of challenge and will,' said Saher al-Masri, a Tunis-based Palestinian activist. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of 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 population. The convoy plans to gather supporters in towns south of Tunis before crossing into Libya, where clashes between rival militias have turned deadlier in recent months. Organizers said they planned the land crossings with relevant authorities leading up to the convoy's departure.
Sky News
23 minutes ago
- Sky News
Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists brought to Israel
A Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists has been brought to shore in Israel after being intercepted by the country's military. Sharing an image of Thunberg, the Israel Foreign Ministry said the boat had docked in Ashdod Port "a short while ago" and that passengers were "currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health". Early on Monday, the Israeli foreign ministry said that the British-flagged yacht Madleen - operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) - "was safely making its way to the shores of Israel". The country's defence minister also said the Israeli military would show Thunberg and other activists onboard footage of the 7 October attacks. In a statement via his spokesperson, defence minister Israel Katz said that he has instructed the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to screen footage of the 7 October attacks for those aboard when they arrive at Ashdod Port. Who are the passengers on the Madleen yacht? "Antisemitic Greta and her Hamas -supporting friends should see exactly what the Hamas terrorist organisation - which they came to support and act on behalf of - truly is," he said. "They should see the atrocities committed against women, the elderly, and children, and understand whom Israel is fighting to defend itself." He commended the IDF for its "swift and safe takeover" of the vessel, and said the Israeli military "will continue its just and moral fight against the Hamas murderers until their defeat, the release of all hostages, and the full restoration of Israel's security". Israel's foreign ministry said earlier that those aboard the Madleen "are expected to return to their home countries" and that the humanitarian aid aboard the ship would be transferred to Gaza through established channels. Ms Thunberg was "safe and in good spirits" while en route to Israel, it added, calling the vessel "the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities'". The FFC claimed the passengers on the yacht had been "kidnapped by Israeli forces" and released pre-recorded messages from them after previously saying that the "Israeli army had boarded" the vessel. Climate campaigner Ms Thunberg, 22, was one of a dozen activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily on 1 June on a mission aiming to break Israel's sea blockade. In a statement later on Monday, Hamas condemned the detention of the Madleen crew, calling it a "flagrant violation of international law". The group also said: "We salute the free solidarity activists of various nationalities who steadfastly confronted the threats and affirmed that Gaza is not alone." "The detention of Madeleine (sic) will not silence the voices of the free," it added, "nor will it halt the growing tide of global solidarity with Gaza". Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament, who is of Palestinian descent, was also on the boat. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israel's policies towards Palestinians. Ms Hassan wrote on X as the FFC's yacht was allegedly surrounded by other vessels: "The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2am." The diversion of the Madleen came after Mr Katz said that he had instructed the IDF to prevent the vessel from reaching the shore and to "take whatever measures necessary". Addressing Ms Thunberg and the other activists on Sunday, he said: "You should turn back - because you will not reach Gaza." Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month after a three-month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas and preventing the group from importing arms. But humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless there is an end to the blockade and the 20-month war, which began after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, that killed more than 1,200 people. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel's military campaign. Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters. 2:38 An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after another of the group's vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship. Francesca Albanese, United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, also urged other boats to challenge the Gaza blockade. She said on social media: "Madleen's journey may have ended, but the mission isn't over.
