Gaza-bound aid boat with Greta Thunberg on board arrives in Israel after seizure
A Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists has arrived at an Israeli port after Israeli forces stopped and detained them – enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the Israel-Hamas war.
The boat, accompanied by Israel's navy, arrived in Ashdod in the evening, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry.
It published a photo on social media of Ms Thunberg after disembarking.
The 'Selfie Yacht' docked at Ashdod Port a short while ago. The passengers are currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health. pic.twitter.com/dGOhPxQnYI
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025
The 12 activists were undergoing medical checks to ensure they are in good health, the ministry said.
They were expected to be held at a detention facility in Ramle before being deported, according to Adalah, a legal rights group representing them.
The activists had set out to protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which is among the deadliest and most destructive since the Second World War, and its restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid.
Both have put the territory of around two million Palestinians at risk of famine.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organised the voyage, said the activists were 'kidnapped by Israeli forces' while trying to deliver desperately needed 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.
It said the ship was seized in international waters about 200 kilometres (120 miles) from Gaza, and Adalah asserted that Israel had 'no legal authority' to take it over.
Israel's Foreign Ministry portrayed the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying on social media that 'the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel'.
It said the activists would return to their home countries and the aid would be sent to Gaza through established channels.
It circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing life vests.
Israeli officials said the flotilla carried what amounted to less than a truckload of aid.
'This wasn't humanitarian aid. It's Instagram activism,' Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said.
'Meanwhile, Israel has delivered over 1,200 truckloads in the last two weeks. So who's really feeding Gaza and who's really feeding their own ego? Greta was not bringing aid, she was bringing herself.'
After its two-and-a-half month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers and experts have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive.
About 600 trucks of aid entered daily during the ceasefire that Israel ended in March.
An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after two drones attacked the vessel in international waters off Malta, organisers said.
The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the ship's front section.
The Madleen set sail from Sicily a week ago.
Along the way, it stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by Libya'a coast guard.
'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,' Ms Thunberg said in a pre-recorded message released after the ship was halted.
Adalah, the rights group, said in a statement that 'the arrest of the unarmed activists, who operated in a civilian manner to provide humanitarian aid, amounts to a serious breach of international law'.
Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was among those on board.
She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies towards the Palestinians.
She was among six French citizens on board.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for consular protection and the repatriation of the French citizens.
'Most of all, France calls for a ceasefire as quickly as possible and the lifting of the humanitarian blockade. This is a scandal, unacceptable, that is playing out in Gaza. What's been happening since early March is a disgrace, a disgrace,' Mr Macron said.
Next week, Mr Macron co-hosts a conference at the UN on a two-state solution and recently said France should move towards recognising a Palestinian state.
Swedish foreign minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said the crew and passengers were aware of the risks, Swedish news agency TT reported.
Ms Stenergard said the ministry's assessment is that no-one was in danger and there was no need for consular support.
Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a 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 Palestinian population.
Israel sealed off Gaza from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7 2023 but later relented under US pressure.
In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine.
Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages.
Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Hamas still holds 55 hostages, more than half believed to be dead.
Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but has said that women and children make up most of the dead.
The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the population, leaving people almost completely dependent on international aid.
Efforts to broker another truce have been deadlocked for months.
Hamas says it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal.
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Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Greta Thunberg and 'freedom flotilla' activists are at airport and risk being deported, Israel says - after Greta Thunberg's lawyer demanded answers
The 'freedom flotilla' activists, including Greta Thunberg, have arrived at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport to be deported, Israel has confirmed. Taking to X at around 1:20am, the Israel Foreign Ministry said: 'Some of the 'Selfie Yacht' passengers are expected to leave within the next few hours'. 'Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorize their deportation. Consuls from the passengers' home countries met them at the airport'. It comes after it was revealed that Greta Thunberg was being held in an Israeli prison for migrants after troops intercepted the 'freedom flotilla', according to the activist's lawyer. Thunberg, alongside the 11 other activists on board, was expected to appear in court later on this morning after they were taken to the Israeli port city of Ashdod. 'We demand information about the whereabouts of our clients and the right to meet them,' lawyer Nariman Shehade Zoabi told Expressen on Monday. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which organised the voyage from Italy to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, said in the early hours of Monday that the ship had come 'under assault' in the Mediterranean Sea. The Madleen was said to have been shadowed by speedboats and drones before 'quadcopters' surrounded and sprayed the ship with an unidentified 'white irritant substance', shortly before the IDF seized it. Israeli commandos took over the vessel and arrested the activists, before taking them to Ashdod, in southern Israel. But on Monday, their lawyers claimed they had not received any information about their clients' whereabouts. 'Based on previous experiences, Greta Thunberg and the others will be taken to Givon prison near the town of Ramle. 'There, what are called illegal immigrants are detained and there is a court that can quickly decide on deportation,' Zoabi, from the human rights organisation, Adala, added. She is waiting in Ashdod alongside five others, three of whom are lawyers, and explained the deportation process could be quick. 'Israel has no interest in detaining them and they themselves do not want to stay in the country', she said. But until they are deported, the activists will be detained in Givon Prison. It comes after Sweden rejected Thunberg 's plea for help on board the vessel after Israeli troops stopped the ship. Maria Malmer Stenergard, the Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that she believes Thunberg is not in need of support from the ministry after the climate activist called on followers to pressure the government into action. 'A great responsibility rests on those who choose to travel contrary to the advice given to a place,' she said outside the Swedish parliament, as protestors gathered in Stockholm to demand an intervention. The minister lamented that, as a result of Greta's plea, the consular hotline had received a high volume of calls that meant Swedes 'in need' abroad were being held in long queues for assistance. 'It is quite dangerous to run a campaign that means that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' consular hotline is called down,' she said, adding: 'The consequence is that Swedes in need abroad have to wait in line for far too long.' Stenergard suggested she did not believe Thunberg needed help, but assured: 'If she needs consular support, we will do everything we can, just as we do with all Swedish citizens.' Critics suggested it was a 'gap-year protest', and the Israeli government said Ms Thunberg had been 'feeding her ego' rather than the people of Gaza. The whole thing was always designed to be – and might yet be seen to be – a publicity coup for Ms Thunberg and the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) group of campaigners determined to draw attention to the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza where children have been starving to death. Israel had claimed that all passengers on board the charity vessel are 'safe and unharmed'. Protestors hold signs reading 'Neutrality = complicity' (C) and Palestinian flags as they attend a demonstration to show their support for activists aboard a boat stopped by Israeli forces enroute to deliver aid to Gaza, in Toulouse, south-western France on June 9, 2025 Protestors have called on the governments of the 12 crew members to act after the activists claimed to have been 'intercepted and kidnapped' in international waters some 100 miles from the coast of Gaza. In London, demonstrators gathered outside the FCDO offices in Whitehall to call on the country to protect the crew of the British-flagged ship. One held a sign that read: ' Israel attacks UK boat. UK does nothing.' Images emerged last night, showing the deck of the charity vessel splattered with white liquid. Activist Yasmin Acar, among those on board, said it had been deployed by Israel and was affecting her eyes. 'Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio,' the coalition wrote on Telegram. Huwaida Arraf, the co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement, told Al Jazeera that crew members had said their eyes were burning from the substance. 'We don't know what that chemical was. Some people reported that their eyes were burning,' they said. Israel 'forcibly intercepted' the vessel at 3.02am local time on Monday, the FFC said in a statement. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz argued the blockade - in place for years - was needed to prevent militants importing weapons into Gaza. He congratulated the military on its 'quick and safe takeover' of the ship. After diverting the boat, Israel's foreign ministry posted a picture of the activists all in orange life jackets being offered water and sandwiches. Katz said that the crew were safe and unharmed, and would be taken to the Israeli Port of Ashdod where they would be shown a video of Hamas 's October 7 atrocities. In comments shared on social media yesterday, Katz said it was 'appropriate' the crew now see 'what atrocities [Hamas] committed against women, the elderly and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself'. The video of Hamas' attacks reportedly contains 43 minutes of 'uncensored' footage of 'people being massacred and bodies mutilated during the onslaught', according to the Times of Israel. The Israeli foreign ministry also derided what it called the 'selfie yacht' carrying 'celebrity' activists, adding that the aid onboard would be transferred to Gaza through what it called 'real humanitarian channels'. The 12 activists had left Italy on June 1, aiming to bring awareness of food shortages in Gaza, which the UN has called the 'hungriest place on Earth', after 21 months of war. The UN has warned the territory's entire population is at risk of famine. But the Israeli government had vowed to prevent the 'unauthorised' Madleen from breaching the naval blockade of Gaza, urging it to turn back. After losing communication with the vessel, the FFC posted pre-recorded videos from the crew. In her video, Thunberg said: 'If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel.' Why are the activists protesting? The crew on board the Madleen sailed towards Gaza in an effort to raise awareness of the deepening humanitarian crisis. Israel imposed a blockade on supplies - including food and medicine - into the Palestinian enclave on March 2, and limited aid only began to enter again late last month after pressure from allies and warnings of famine. ActionAid had reported in April that the price of flour in Gaza had soared to $300 a bag after more than 50 days without new aid deliveries. More than 3,700 children were newly admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition in March alone, it said, an 80 per cent rise on the previous month, per UNOCHA. Still, most people in Gaza are surviving on just a single meal per day, consisting mostly of pasta, rice or canned food. Humanitarian workers and experts have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. Nine tenths of the population have been displaced by 21 months of war, with Israel now pursuing a new major offensive in the strip. 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 Palestinian population. The FFC said that Israel had acted with 'total impunity'. It said that the cargo, containing baby formula, food and medical supplies, had been 'confiscated'. The Israelis denounced Ms Thunberg's cynical 'Instagram selfie' aid mission and said the 'tiny amount of aid' on board the 'celebrity' vessel would be transferred to Gaza through 'real humanitarian channels'. The foreign ministry stressed that all crew members were 'safe and unharmed'. It said that it expected the activists to return to their home countries. Arraf, a human rights attorney and Freedom Flotilla organiser, pushed back: 'Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen.' 'This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the (International Court of Justice's) binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.' Israel has come under criticism for apprehending the group of activists in international waters. Francesca Albanese, the UN's Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, said the British government must 'urgently seek full clarification' about the ship's status and work to 'secure the immediate release' of the vessel and crew. 'The Madleen must be allowed to continue its lawful humanitarian mission to Gaza,' she said. MailOnline approached the Foreign Office for comment. Protestors amassed outside the FCDO offices in London on Monday. One held a sign that read: 'Israel attacks UK boat. UK does nothing.' Ellie Chowns, Green Party Foreign Affairs spokeswoman and MP for North Herefordshire, said: 'The UK Government cannot remain silent while international waters are turned into a battleground and humanitarian actors are criminalised. 'The forced interception of the Madleen, a British-flagged vessel, is utterly unacceptable. Unarmed civilian crew were seized by Israeli military forces while sailing in international waters, their life-saving cargo taken, and international law trampled. 'I echo the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's demands: the immediate release of these civilians, unfettered delivery of vital baby formula, food and medical supplies to Gaza, and full accountability for these flagrant violations.' The Gaza-bound aid ship Madleen, organised by the international NGO Freedom Flotilla Coalition, anchored off Catania, Italy, on June 1 Critics have branded the interception 'state piracy' and condemned the lack of action from the crew members' respective governments. Mouin Rabbani, a non-resident fellow at the Qatar-based Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, told Al Jazeera: 'This is not only an act of state piracy. It's in direct violation of the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice.' Spain summoned Israel's charge d'affaires in protest of the interception, according to El Pais, citing a source at the Spanish Foreign Ministry. French Foreign Minister Jeal-Noel Barrot said France wants to 'facilitate the rapid return' of six French nationals travelling with the group. Turkey slammed Israel for the interception, describing it as a 'heinous attack'. 'The intervention by Israeli forces on the 'Madleen' ship.. while sailing in international waters is a clear violation of international law,' it said, describing it as a 'heinous attack' by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Turkey's foreign ministry said there were Turkish nationals among those on board, without identifying them. The Freedom Flotilla's website said the boat was carrying 12 people from seven countries, including Turkey. 'The international community's justified reaction to Israel's genocidal policies, which use hunger as a weapon in Gaza and prevent the delivery of humanitarian aid, will continue,' the ministry added, saying Israel would manage to 'silence the voices defending human values'. Eight-year-old Rahab Matar, who was injured during an Israeli airstrike while playing in a park in Gaza, stays at a temporary shelter set up at the Yarmouk Stadium, Gaza City, June 7 Israel is facing mounting international pressure to allow more aid into Gaza to alleviate widespread shortages of food and basic supplies. It recently allowed humanitarian deliveries to resume after barring them for more than two months and began working with the newly formed, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. But humanitarian agencies have criticised the GHF and the United Nations refuses to work with it, citing concerns over its practices and neutrality. Dozens of people have been killed near GHF distribution points since late May, according to Gaza's civil defence agency. It said Israeli attacks killed at least 10 people on Sunday, including five civilians hit by gunfire near an aid distribution centre.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Greta Thunberg arrives on dry land & ‘will be deported' after Israel seized ‘Freedom Flotilla' stunt ship & twisted crew
GRETA Thunberg has arrived on dry land and is to likely be deported after Israel seized the "Freedom Flotilla" stunt ship. The climate campaigner, 22, alongside 11 other activists on board, is expected to appear in court on Tuesday morning having been taken to the Israeli port city of Ashdod. 10 10 Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed on X: " The 'Selfie Yacht' docked at Ashdod Port a short while ago. "The passengers are currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health." But lawyer Nariman Shehade Zoabi said they haven't been able to contact the activists yet. She told Expressen: "We demand information about the whereabouts of our clients and the right to meet them." Lawyer Zoabi added that Greta and the others would be taken to a "Givon prison" near the town Ramle where "illegal immigrants are detained" and there is a "court that can quickly decide on deportation". She is waiting in Ashdod with five others, and explained that the process of deportation could be fast. Zoabi said: "Israel has no interest in detaining them and they themselves do not want to stay in the country." Israel accused the group who were aboard the boat of supporting Hamas terrorists who detonated Middle East mayhem by massacring 1,200 and kidnapping 251 hostages. And all of those detained will be made to watch a screening of video footage showing innocents including children being slaughter by Hamas savages during the attacks. The 'selfie yacht' operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition was said to be "safely making its way to the shores of Israel", Israel's Foreign Minsitry said. All passengers were safe and unharmed and activists handed sandwiches and water before the vessel docked at the southern Israeli port of Ashdod. The boat was carrying a "tiny amount of aid" on board - which will be sent to Gaza. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said that he has instructed the Israeli Defence Forces to screen footage of the 7 October attacks as soon as they arrive. The disturbing footage - titled "Bearing Witness" - shows innocent people being massacred and mutilated. And all the footage was taken from the Hamas terrorists' bodycams as they filmed their massacre. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) said early on Monday that Israeli forces had boarded the charity vessel. 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. 10 10 10 "If you wish to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, you are able to do so through the (Israeli) port of Ashdod." The campaigners had said they are hoping to 'break the siege' and raise 'international awareness' of the humanitarian crisis on the Gaza Strip. But Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant issued a warning as the vessel entered the final stretch of its journey, saying: 'You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza.' Thunberg, 22, has posted on social media with a Palestine flag and wearing a keffiyeh scarf while on the journey. Travelling alongside her is Rima Hassan, a French member of the European parliament of Palestinian descent. She has previously been barred from entering Israel due to her outspoken criticism of the country's policies towards Palestinians. Organisers claim the voyage is 'a non-violent, direct action to challenge Israel's illegal siege" - and is carrying essential supplies to a population at risk of famine. Israel imposed a near-total blockade on Gaza in late 2023, following Hamas's horror massacre on southern Israel on October 7. Though some limited aid has been allowed in since last month, aid agencies claim it is nowhere near enough. Ahead of the journey, Thunberg said through tears: "We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying. "Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity." CONTROVERSIAL CREW The flotilla's latest voyage follows a failed attempt in May, when another of its vessels was struck by two drones in international waters off Malta. The group accused Israel of being behind the attack. Despite the risks, activists aboard the Madleen have said they plan to enter Gaza's territorial waters as early as Sunday. The vessel's controversial crew includes figures who have openly supported terrorist organizations and have made inflammatory public statements. Brazilian activist Thiago Avila attended the funeral of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, calling the terrorist a "beloved" leader and a "martyr". 10 10 10 Avila said he was "very honoured" and "very happy" to attend, and described the funeral as something that "amazed him". He wrote that Nasrallah was an "important figure" who "inspired people all over the world". Also on board was Yasemin Acar from Berlin, who reportedly danced as Iranian rockets rained down on Israel and once told a white woman at a protest: 'You're a white person, you shouldn't tell us what to do.' French journalist Omar Faiad, of Al-Jazeera, sparked outrage for comparing the IDF to Nazis. On X, he wrote: 'The Israeli army resembles the Nazi army,' and claimed: 'Israel is committing a new Holocaust in Gaza.' Rima Hassan, meanwhile, previously tweeted: 'Kfir, Ariel, and Shiri Bibas were killed by an Israeli attack,' despite Hamas being responsible for their abduction and deaths. She was also seen at a protest where demonstrators chanted: 'We die for jihad.' And it included included a London-based Palestinian named in Parliament in 2023 as being a London-based Hamas operative. Zaher Birawi was at the launch of the Madleen and live streamed from the dock in Greece and is chair of the International Committee to Break the siege of Gaza. Birawi, 62, has been photographed with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and runs UK-registered charity, Education Aid for Palestinians, which has raised more than £3 million since 2017. Irish Game of Thrones star Liam Cunningham was also on the boat.
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Greta Thunberg arrives on dry land & ‘will be deported' after Israel seized ‘Freedom Flotilla' stunt ship & twisted crew
Israel accused the group who were aboard the boat of supporting Hamas terrorists GET OUT Greta Thunberg arrives on dry land & 'will be deported' after Israel seized 'Freedom Flotilla' stunt ship & twisted crew GRETA Thunberg has arrived on dry land and is to likely be deported after Israel seized the "Freedom Flotilla" stunt ship. The climate campaigner, 22, alongside 11 other activists on board, is expected to appear in court on Tuesday morning having been taken to the Israeli port city of Ashdod. Advertisement 10 Greta Thunberg has arrived on dry land Credit: IsraelMFA 10 Greta Thunberg posted on social media that she had been kidnapped by the Israeli military Credit: Instagram 10 A photo posted on Telegram purportedly showing activists with their hands up on board the Madleen Credit: Freedom Flotilla Coalition Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed on X: "The 'Selfie Yacht' docked at Ashdod Port a short while ago. "The passengers are currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health." But lawyer Nariman Shehade Zoabi said they haven't been able to contact the activists yet. She told Expressen: "We demand information about the whereabouts of our clients and the right to meet them." Advertisement Lawyer Zoabi added that Greta and the others would be taken to a "Givon prison" near the town Ramle where "illegal immigrants are detained" and there is a "court that can quickly decide on deportation". She is waiting in Ashdod with five others, and explained that the process of deportation could be fast. Zoabi said: "Israel has no interest in detaining them and they themselves do not want to stay in the country." Israel accused the group who were aboard the boat of supporting Hamas terrorists who detonated Middle East mayhem by massacring 1,200 and kidnapping 251 hostages. Advertisement And all of those detained will be made to watch a screening of video footage showing innocents including children being slaughter by Hamas savages during the attacks. The 'selfie yacht' operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition was said to be "safely making its way to the shores of Israel", Israel's Foreign Minsitry said. Israel issues warning to Greta's 'Freedom Flotilla' as eco-pest SAILS to Gaza All passengers were safe and unharmed and activists handed sandwiches and water before the vessel docked at the southern Israeli port of Ashdod. The boat was carrying a "tiny amount of aid" on board - which will be sent to Gaza. Advertisement Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said that he has instructed the Israeli Defence Forces to screen footage of the 7 October attacks as soon as they arrive. The disturbing footage - titled "Bearing Witness" - shows innocent people being massacred and mutilated. And all the footage was taken from the Hamas terrorists' bodycams as they filmed their massacre. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) said early on Monday that Israeli forces had boarded the charity vessel. Advertisement 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. 10 Greta Thunberg is offered a sandwich by an Israeli soldier 10 The Madleen began its journey to deliver aid to Gaza last Sunday but could be facing Israeli fury upon its arrival Advertisement 10 Thunberg sits aboard the aid ship Madleen, which left the Italian port of Catania on June 1 to travel to Gaza Credit: Reuters 10 Gaza has been hammered by the IDF as it aims to wipe out Hamas Credit: Getty "If you wish to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, you are able to do so through the (Israeli) port of Ashdod." The campaigners had said they are hoping to 'break the siege' and raise 'international awareness' of the humanitarian crisis on the Gaza Strip. Advertisement But Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant issued a warning as the vessel entered the final stretch of its journey, saying: 'You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza.' Thunberg, 22, has posted on social media with a Palestine flag and wearing a keffiyeh scarf while on the journey. Travelling alongside her is Rima Hassan, a French member of the European parliament of Palestinian descent. She has previously been barred from entering Israel due to her outspoken criticism of the country's policies towards Palestinians. Advertisement Organisers claim the voyage is 'a non-violent, direct action to challenge Israel's illegal siege" - and is carrying essential supplies to a population at risk of famine. Israel imposed a near-total blockade on Gaza in late 2023, following Hamas's horror massacre on southern Israel on October 7. Though some limited aid has been allowed in since last month, aid agencies claim it is nowhere near enough. Ahead of the journey, Thunberg said through tears: "We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying. Advertisement "Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity." CONTROVERSIAL CREW The flotilla's latest voyage follows a failed attempt in May, when another of its vessels was struck by two drones in international waters off Malta. The group accused Israel of being behind the attack. Despite the risks, activists aboard the Madleen have said they plan to enter Gaza's territorial waters as early as Sunday. Advertisement The vessel's controversial crew includes figures who have openly supported terrorist organizations and have made inflammatory public statements. Brazilian activist Thiago Avila attended the funeral of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, calling the terrorist a "beloved" leader and a "martyr". 10 Thunberg with part of the crew of the ship headed to the Strip Credit: Getty 10 Thiago Ávila (L) hailed the former leader of terrorist group Hezbollah Advertisement 10 Yasemin Acar is among the extremist crew Avila said he was "very honoured" and "very happy" to attend, and described the funeral as something that "amazed him". He wrote that Nasrallah was an "important figure" who "inspired people all over the world". Also on board was Yasemin Acar from Berlin, who reportedly danced as Iranian rockets rained down on Israel and once told a white woman at a protest: 'You're a white person, you shouldn't tell us what to do.' Advertisement French journalist Omar Faiad, of Al-Jazeera, sparked outrage for comparing the IDF to Nazis. On X, he wrote: 'The Israeli army resembles the Nazi army,' and claimed: 'Israel is committing a new Holocaust in Gaza.' Rima Hassan, meanwhile, previously tweeted: 'Kfir, Ariel, and Shiri Bibas were killed by an Israeli attack,' despite Hamas being responsible for their abduction and deaths. She was also seen at a protest where demonstrators chanted: 'We die for jihad.' Advertisement And it included included a London-based Palestinian named in Parliament in 2023 as being a London-based Hamas operative. Zaher Birawi was at the launch of the Madleen and live streamed from the dock in Greece and is chair of the International Committee to Break the siege of Gaza. Birawi, 62, has been photographed with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and runs UK-registered charity, Education Aid for Palestinians, which has raised more than £3 million since 2017. Irish Game of Thrones star Liam Cunningham was also on the boat. Advertisement
