Israeli forces board aid boat bound for Gaza, Freedom Flotilla Coalition says
The British-flagged yacht Madleen, operated by the pro-Palestinian FFC, had departed from Sicily on June 6 and had hoped to reach Gaza later in the day, when the interception occurred, the group said on its Telegram account.
Among those on board the boat are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment.
Shortly before the FFC statement, the Israeli Foreign Ministry posted a video on X showing the Israeli Navy communicating with the Madleen over a loudspeaker, urging it to change course.
'The maritime zone off the coast of Gaza is closed to naval traffic as part of a legal naval blockade,' a soldier said. 'If you wish to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, you are able to do so through the (Israeli) port of Ashdod.'
The yacht, with its 12-person crew, was carrying a symbolic shipment of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military on Sunday to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, calling the mission a propaganda effort in support of Hamas.
Israel imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.
The blockade has remained in place through multiple conflicts, including the current war, which began after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, that killed more than 1,200 people, according to an Israeli tally.
Gaza's health ministry says over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel's military campaign. The United Nations has warned that most of Gaza's more than 2 million residents are facing famine.
The Israeli government says the blockade is essential to prevent weapons from reaching Hamas.
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Israeli forces seize Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg, ministry says
'The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2am,' Hassan posted on X. A photograph showed the crew seated on the boat, all wearing life jackets, with their hands in the air. The yacht is carrying a small shipment of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula. The foreign ministry said it would be taken to Gaza. 'The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels,' it wrote. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz ordered the military on Sunday to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, calling the mission a propaganda effort in support of Hamas. Israel imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. The blockade has remained in place through many conflicts, including the current war, which began after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7 2023, that killed more than 1,200 people, according to an Israeli tally. Gaza's health ministry said more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel's military campaign. The UN has warned most of Gaza's more than 2-million residents are facing famine. The Israeli government said the blockade is essential to prevent weapons from reaching Hamas. The UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has supported the FFC operation and on Sunday urged other boats to challenge the Gaza blockade. She wrote on X: 'Madleen's journey may have ended, but the mission isn't over. Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid and solidarity to Gaza.' Reuters
IOL News
2 hours ago
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The Greta Effect: a timeline of Thunberg's activism leading to her being on the Madleen
The Greta Effect: Greta Thunberg Image: Supplied "We can no longer let the people in power decide what hope is. Hope is not passive. Hope is not blah, blah, blah. Hope is telling the truth. Hope is taking action. And hope always comes from the people.' This famous quote, by activist Greta Thunberg at the Youth4Climate summit in Milan, Italy in 2021, best sums up her activism. Most recently Thunberg grew internationa attention when she and others set sail on a vessel carrying humanitarian supplies to the people of Gaza as a protest against Israel's war on Gaza and its reported blockade of aid. . Yesterday, in a video she had pre-recorded said she and fellow activists have been kidnapped while aboard the Madleen, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC). The British-flagged Madleen yacht set sail from Sicily on June 6 toward Gaza. @skynews Israel intercepts Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists ♬ original sound - Sky News Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Activists say Israeli forces have allegeldy intercepted the yacht trying to bring humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade. Thunberg and a French lawmaker are among 12 people aboard the vessel. Meanwhile The Israel Foreign Ministry, on X, today dubbed the yacht "the selfie yacht of celebrities" and said they are all safe on the way to Israel where they wil be sent back home. One of the world's most notable climate activists, Thunberg first gained worldwide attention in 2018 when she started organising various protests outside the Swedish Parliament calling for stronger climate action. A dated photo of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg addressing plenary of UN climate conference during with a meeting with leading climate scientists at the COP25 summit in Madrid. Image: Picture: Paul White/AP Her efforts quickly transformed into a global movement named Fridays for Future, and inspired numerous other youths to join the cause and raise their voices. Thunberg, born in 2003 and 25 this year, is well known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action to mitigate the effects of climate change. A timeline of Greta's activism: @najisarsour1 Activist Greta Thunburg explains why she and her crewmates on the Madleen Freedom Flotilla are willing to go this far to break the siege on Gaza. Israel has decided not to allow the Madeleine, which is sailing from Italy to the Gaza Strip with 12 pro-Palestinian activists on board, to approach or dock in Gaza. The ship is expected to arrive in the area in four to five days. ♬ original sound - Najisars Born in Stockholm in 2003, Thunberg's climate activism began when she persuaded her parents to adopt lifestyle choices that reduced her family's carbon footprint. At age 15 in 2018: Vowed to remain out of school until after a Swedish election to attempt to influence the outcome. She protested outside the Swedish parliament where she called for stronger action on climate change by holding up a Skolstrejk för klimatet (School Strike for Climate) sign and handing out informational flyers. After the election, Thunberg said she would continue school striking for the climate every Friday until Sweden was in compliance with the Paris climate agreement. She became a global icon of a new generation of activists. Also in 2018 Thunberg addressed the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference and after that weekly climate strike protests took place on Fridays around the world. In 2019, coordinated multi-city protests involved over a million students each. She also famously attended the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit by taking a carbon-free yacht from England to New York. "How dare you"are her famous words to world leaders who she said were indifferent and inactive to the climate crisis. In 2023 she graduated from high school and she continued to gain international attention with her protest tactics have become increasingly assertive She defied lawful orders to disperse, which have led to arrests, convictions, and an acquittal. Her activism also include other causes, supporting Ukraine,Palestine,Armeniaand Western Sahara in their respective conflicts. Thunberg's rise to world fame made her a leader in the climate activist community even though she faced heavy criticism. Her influence on the world stage has been described as the Greta effect and she has received numerous honours and awards and was also Time magazine's youngest person the year in 2019. Part of her being on the Madleen was to bring attention to the Gaza situation with her Greta Effect.
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Israel intercepts Greta Thunberg's aid vessel bound for Gaza
Greta Thunberg's humanitarian mission to Gaza has been intercepted by the Israeli Defence Force as they boarded the vesse. Image: Instagram Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has been confirmed "safe and in good spirits" by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), after the yacht she was aboard was intercepted in waters near Gaza. The vessel, part of the 'Freedom flotilla', was attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip when it was intercepted by Israeli forces. The 22-year-old had posted a pre-recorded video to Instagram from the deck of the 'Madleen', describing how they had been "intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel'. She called on her followers and the Swedish government to put pressure on authorities to secure her and the others' release. According to Israel's foreign ministry, the vessel carried 12 activists, described as 'celebrities', and a 'tiny amount of aid'. In a statement, the MFA commented: 'While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity and included less than a single truckload of aid.' 'There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip they do not involve Instagram selfies,' the ministry added. The activists are expected to be deported shortly. Ahead of the interception, footage posted to social media platform X showed members of the flotilla crew scrambling to take cover as drones flew overhead. Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila, who was also on board, claimed their communications and tracking systems were being jammed approximately 160 nautical miles from Gaza. He was heard warning others to 'get into position' and urging Thunberg to take cover. Ávila later alleged the vessel was attacked and sprayed with an unknown substance. In a subsequent press release, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said the 'Madleen' was 'attacked and forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military at 3:02am CET in international waters'. The coalition claimed the ship's unarmed crew were abducted and that supplies including baby formula, food and medical items were seized. Earlier reports indicated that nearby vessels had raised concerns among the 'Madleen' crew, prompting an alert. The flotilla had aimed to reach Gaza's territorial waters by Sunday, despite a long-standing Israeli naval blockade. IOL NEWS Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
