Greta Thunberg, other activists detained after Israel intercepts Gaza-bound aid ship
Greta Thunberg and a group of activists sailing to Gaza in an attempt to deliver aid have been detained by the Israeli military after it intercepted and seized their vessel early on Monday.
The group, known as the the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, is protesting Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip, which is among the deadliest and most destructive since the Second World War, and its restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid, both of which have put the territory of some two million Palestinians at risk of famine.
Story continues below advertisement
The coalition said the activists had been 'kidnapped by Israeli forces' during their efforts to deliver aid.
'The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo — including baby formula, food and medical supplies — confiscated,' it said in a statement, adding that the ship was seized in international waters about 200 kilometres from Gaza.
SOS! the volunteers on 'Madleen' have been kidnapped by Israeli forces.
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish citizen.
Pressure their foreign ministries and help us keep them safe!
Web: https://t.co/uCGmx8sn8j
X : @SweMFA
FB : @SweMFA
IG : swedishmfa#AllEyesOnMadeleen pic.twitter.com/76Myrg2Bnz
— Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) June 9, 2025
Story continues below advertisement
Israeli authorities say the mission is a 'media provocation.'
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
'The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel,' Israel's foreign ministry said in a post on X.
It also claimed, without presenting any video evidence, that aid is pouring into Gaza from Israel and through other humanitarian channels.
'More than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks, and in addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza,' the post said.
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.
While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included… pic.twitter.com/eEZSJJHVfd
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025
Story continues below advertisement
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, said the ship was still en route to Israel around midday Monday, according to The Associated Press.
Those on board, including Thunberg, are eventually expected to return to their home countries.
—
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
— With files from The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
33 minutes ago
- Global News
Gillam woman charged in killing of 65-year-old: Manitoba RCMP
A Manitoba woman has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a 65-year-old man in Gillam, RCMP say. Officers were called to a home in the community just before 1 a.m. Friday, where they found the victim with critical injuries. He was later pronounced dead at the scene, and the suspect, 22, was arrested. Police said the victim and suspect knew each other. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Jodi Ann Ouskan of Gillam was taken into custody and will appear in court Monday. Local RCMP, along with the Mounties' major crime and forensic identification services, continue to investigate.
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
Montreal police confirm killing of 18-year-old marks 16th homicide of the year
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook Montreal police say a suspicious death that occurred Saturday evening marks the city's 16th homicide of the year. Police spokesperson Antony Dorelas says the victim is an 18-year-old man. So far no arrests have been made for the killing, which occurred in Montreal's Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Police say a second victim who suffered non-life-threatening injuries has also been found. First responders were called to the crime scene at about 10 p.m. on Saturday near the intersection of Notre-Dame and Sainte-Catherine streets. At this time last year, Montreal had seen 17 of the 32 homicides that would occur in 2024, compared to 31 homicides in 2023 and 42 in 2022.
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
World junior complainant created a ‘false narrative,' McLeod's lawyer says
The female complainant in the high-profile world junior sexual assault trial 'chose to abandon restraint' the night of the alleged acts, a defence lawyer for one of the players says. David Humphrey, lawyer for Michael McLeod, told Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia Monday the complainant, known as E.M. in court documents, created a 'false narrative' in the face of regret after meeting McLeod and his teammates in London, Ont., in June 2018. 'This is a case where the defence has an embarrassment of riches — a cornucopia of compelling credibility and reliability concerns in E.M.'s testimony,' Humphrey told Carroccia during his closing submissions inside a London courtroom. 'She's created a false narrative in which she bears no responsibility.' Closing submissions began Monday after the defence rested its case last week. The trial, which has been proceeding by judge alone after two juries were dismissed, began in late April. Story continues below advertisement 2:10 Crown cross-examines 1 of the 5 accused men at world junior hockey sexual assault trial McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote have pleaded not guilty to sexual assault stemming from what the Crown alleges was non-consensual group sex with the then 20-year-old woman in McLeod's hotel room. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault. Defence lawyers said last week they would collaborate to avoid repetition during their submissions, and that they'd need two-to-three hours each. Crown prosecutors said they'd need a day for their closing submissions. 'Her communication of consent is overwhelming': Humphrey Court has heard that the team was in London for events marking its gold-medal performance at that year's championship, and that the complainant was out with friends when they met at a downtown bar on June 18, 2018. Story continues below advertisement After being with McLeod and his teammates at the bar, E.M. would go on to have consensual sex with McLeod in his room in the early morning hours of June 19. Court has heard that E.M., who testified she was drunk and not of clear mind, was in the washroom after she had sex with McLeod and came out to a group of men in the room allegedly invited for a '3 way' by McLeod in a group chat. It was then that the Crown alleges several sexual acts took place without E.M.'s consent. The 27-year-old woman, whose identity is protected under a standard publication ban, was subject to intense cross-examination during her nearly two weeks on the stand. 2:29 World junior trial hears 2018 police interviews with 2 accused Defence lawyers have suggested E.M. wasn't as drunk as she has testified she was, wanted a 'wild night' with the players and was 'egging' them on to have sex with her, and accused her of having a 'clear agenda' at the trial. Story continues below advertisement E.M. has pushed back against those claims and at points outright rejected them, saying she was coaxed into staying in the room, was disrespected and was taken advantage of by the group, who she said 'could see I was out of my mind.' Only Hart testified at the trial, while the other players' lawyers cited evidence and police interviews that were already played out in court as part of the reasons why they weren't calling evidence. Humphrey argued Monday E.M. 'made a choice to take that night in a different direction' and when her sobriety returned, 'regret emerges.' He argued when E.M.'s mother found her crying after she got home, she told her a 'white lie that snowballed into a criminal investigation' because she regretted drinking too much and cheating on her boyfriend with a group of men. Humphrey said her mother pressured her into going to the police, and with E.M. being a self-identifying people-pleaser, the pressure got to a point where she could no longer resist. After police in 2018 decided not to lay charges, E.M., 'armed' with that information, 'retools her narrative' to support her lawsuit against Hockey Canada. 'She is not an honest or reliable witness,' Humphrey said. 'Her communication of consent is overwhelming.'
