Israel seizes Greta Thunberg's aid boat the Madleen

Times

3 hours ago

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.