Latest news with #SweMFA
Scroll.in
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Israel diverts Gaza-bound aid boat, Greta Thunberg and other activists told to ‘return home'
A Gaza-bound aid boat with Greta Thunberg and other activists was diverted to Israeli shores, the Israeli foreign ministry said on Monday. 'The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,' the ministry added. The civilian ship, called the Madleen, was operating under the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an international campaign against the blockade of Gaza, The New York Times reported. The coalition had claimed earlier on Monday that the activists had been ' kidnapped by Israeli forces' and released videos of pre-recorded messages from them. The Israeli foreign ministry shared a video on Monday purportedly showing the passengers of the ship 'safe and unharmed'. It also said on social media that the humanitarian aid aboard the ship 'will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels'. On Sunday, the country's Defence Minister Israel Katz had said on social media that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces to 'act to prevent the 'Madeleine' hate flotilla from reaching the shores of Gaza…and to take whatever measures are necessary to that end'. All the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over. — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025 The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has accused Israel of ' forcibly intercepting ' the Madleen. 'The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted and its life-saving cargo – including baby formula, food and medical supplies – confiscated,' the coalition said. Freedom Flotilla organiser and human rights attorney Huwaida Arraf said: 'This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the ICJ's [International Court of Justice] bind orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to 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: X : @SweMFA FB : @SweMFA IG : swedishmfa #AllEyesOnMadeleen — Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) June 9, 2025 After a two-and-a-half month blockade aimed at pressuring Palestinian militant group Hamas, Israel started allowing basic aid into Gaza in May. The humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive, the Associated Press reported. 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 news agency reported. The group blamed Israel for the attack. Israel's naval blockade of Gaza has remained in place during several conflicts, including the current one. Israel's military offensive against Gaza began in October 2023 after Hamas killed 1,200 persons during its incursion and took hostages. Israel has been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on Gaza since then, killing more than 62,600 persons, including nearly 17,500 children.
The Citizen
6 hours ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Israeli forces seize Gaza-bound Madleen with aid and Thunberg
Before contact was lost with the activists on board, they alleged Israel had sprayed a thick, white, paint-like substance onto the boat. Activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, board the Madleen boat, ahead of setting sail for Gaza, departing from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, Sunday, 1 June, 2025. Salvatore Cavalli Palestinians will continue to suffer without desperately needed aid after the Israeli military intercepted a boat carrying a group of activists en route to deliver aid to Gaza. The British-flagged yacht Madleen, which is operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), left Italy last week Sunday with the aim of delivering the aid and challenging the crippling Israeli blockade that has been in place for years. Interception Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, describing the mission a 'propaganda effort in support of Hamas.' The aid was expected to be delivered on Monday and aimed to raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. However, the boat was boarded during the night before it could reach shore, the FFC said on its Telegram account. The Israeli Foreign Ministry later confirmed that it was under Israeli control. WATCH Greta Thunberg speaking onboard the Madleen 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: X : @SweMFA FB : @SweMFA IG : swedishmfa#AllEyesOnMadeleen June 9, 2025 ALSO READ: SA calls for urgent probe after 32 Palestinians killed while waiting for food Activists The crew on board the Madleen said that four speedboats approached their ship just after 1am local time (22:00 GMT), reported AFP. '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. Before contact was lost with the activists on board, they alleged Israel had sprayed a thick, white, paint-like substance onto the boat. Among the 12-strong crew are Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. '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 raised. The last image of the crew. June 9, 2025 'International piracy' The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned Israel's seizure of the Freedom Flotilla ship and its crew. 'We strongly condemn the cowardly and illegal Israeli attack on the Madleen as it approached Gaza with desperately needed humanitarian supplies,' said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. 'This is a blatant act of international piracy and state terrorism,' he said. ALSO READ: SA condemns Israel's bombing of hospitals in Gaza "We strongly condemn the cowardly and illegal Israeli attack on the Madleen's as it approached Gaza with desperately-need humanitarian supplies. This is a blatant act of international piracy and state terrorism." @NihadAwad READ: — CAIR National (@CAIRNational) June 9, 2025 Humanitarian aid The yacht was 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. Blockade Israel imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. Gaza's health ministry says over 54 000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel's war in Gaza. The United Nations has warned that most of Gaza's more than 2 million residents are facing famine. ALSO READ: Israel accused of starving Gaza 'by design' — South Africa addresses ICJ Additional reporting by AFP
NDTV
9 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Greta Thunberg's Last Video Before Israeli Forces Stopped Gaza-Bound Ship
Gaza: The Israeli troops have taken control of the British-flagged charity vessel Madleen, which had tried to break a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. The boat--operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC)--with its crew of 12, including activist Greta Thunberg, is now heading to a port in Israel, officials said on Sunday. The FCC posted a pre-recorded "SOS" video of Thunberg on X and said, " the volunteers on 'Madleen' have been kidnapped by Israeli forces. Pressure their foreign ministries and help us keep them safe!" In the video, the Swedish climate activist can be heard saying, "My name is Greta Thunberg and I am from Sweden. If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel." 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: X : @SweMFA FB : @SweMFA IG : swedishmfa #AllEyesOnMadeleen — Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) June 9, 2025 "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. Madleen was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza later on Monday and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there. However, the boat was boarded by Israeli forces during the night before it could reach shore, the FFC said on its Telegram account. 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. All passengers were safe and unharmed, the ministry later added. "They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over." Among the 12-strong crew are Swedish climate campaigner Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. "The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2 a.m.," 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. The action against the Madleen crew came hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military on Sunday to prevent the ship 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.
