Latest news with #TheMadleen
Sky News AU
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Israel shares photo of Greta Thunberg after intercepting boat en route to Gaza
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has shared images of Greta Thunberg at a port in Israel after the charity vessel she was on with other activists was intercepted by local forces. The Swedish national was among a dozen passengers on the vessel named The Madleen, which had set sail from Catania in Italy, bound for the war-torn enclave with humanitarian aid. This comes as Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has ordered that detained Gaza flotilla activists be shown video footage of the October 7 attacks.
Sky News AU
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Greta Thunberg arrives into Israel after boat with activist and 11 other passengers intercepted by the IDF on the way to Gaza
Activist Greta Thunberg has been seen for the first time since the boat she was travelling on bound for Gaza to deliver what Israel said was "a tiny amount of aid" was intercepted by soldiers. Greta Thunberg has arrived safely into Israel to be deported after the yacht she and other activists were travelling to Gaza on was intercepted by Israeli forces. The Swedish national was among a dozen passengers on the vessel named The Madleen which had set sail from Catania in Italy bound for the war-torn enclave. The boat, which departed on June 1 and was carrying a small amount of aid, was on Monday stopped by Israeli troops who offered the activists water and sandwiches. It was then diverted towards an Israeli port. Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed in a social media post on Tuesday just after 5am that the vessel had docked at Ashdod Port, close to the Gazan border. "The passengers are currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health," it read, alongside a photo of Thunberg and another activist. Among those on board included activists from Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Turkey. Other known people on board were French member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan and Al Jazeera journalist Omar Faiad. Once confirmed healthy, they will be deported to their respective countries. — Israel ישר×ל (@Israel) June 9, 2025 After being intercepted, the Israel Foreign Ministry shared a photo to social media of Thunberg smiling as a solider handed a sandwich to her on the vessel. It described the boat as "selfie yacht" and that the "tiny amount of aid that wasn't consumed" will be transferred to Gaza through humanitarian channels. "There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve provocations and selfies," it said, adding "1,200 aid trucks" entered Gaza in the past two weeks. Thunberg had claimed in a video filmed prior to the intercept that she had been "kidnapped" and urged the Swedish government to rally for their release. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has ordered that detained Gaza flotilla activists be shown a harrowing video compilation of the October 7 Hamas massacre. 'It's appropriate that Greta the antisemite and her Hamas-supporting friends should see exactly who is the terror group Hamas,' he said in a statement. Former IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus told Sky News it would be a "great opportunity" for Thunberg and the activists to "educate themselves". "This is unedited footage taken from Hamas cameras, where Hamas operatives gleefully execute, burn and torture Israelis on the 7th of October. And this is how the war started. And if they claim these people who came on the boat claim to care about the conflict and they claim to be on the side of Palestinians," he said on First Edition. "I think it's good for them to be educated about the situation." Last week, dozens of Palestinians were killed when Israeli forces and US security contractors fired at crowds trying to collect aid for themselves and family. The IDF claimed people had deviated from "designated access routes". Mr Conricus said casualties and incidents had "gone down dramatically". "Yesterday, three distribution centres operated in southern and central Gaza, distributing more than 1.5 million meals in one day only, which is tremendous," he said. "And this is despite the fact that Hamas is intimidating Gazans and trying to stop them from coming to take the aid and using violence, but people are voting with their feet and they're coming to take aid and so far that's working ... Hamas is under pressure."
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Keep your eyes on Gaza': Greta Thunberg calls for focus on Israeli 'seige' and 'oppression'; says she's not the story
Greta Thunberg with other activists meeting with journalists in Catania, Italy, June 1, before their departure for Mideast Greta Thunberg on Wednesday said global attention should remain on what she described as Israel's 'siege and oppression' of Gaza, not on her involvement in a humanitarian aid mission to the region. In a newly released video, the Swedish climate activist emphasised that the real story is the ongoing conflict, not her personal journey. "We are here because when the international community, when international institutions, international law and our governments fail to keep people safe and are acting in a way that fuels and enables genocides to happen, then we have a responsibility to step up and be the adults in the room," she said in the video. Further calling on people to focus on Gaza, the 22-year old added, "The story here is not that we are sailing to Gaza. The story here is that Israel is having a siege on Gaza and that Israel has been oppressing people for decades and decades and are committing ethnic cleansing, genocide, ecocide and all kinds of war crimes. That is the story here. So keep your eyes on Gaza." The young activist embarked on her journey on Sunday aboard the Madleen, a compact vessel under the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's operation, transporting vital provisions including milk, rice, protein bars and tinned food for Palestinians in the conflict-affected region. Israel's military has issued a firm response to the initiative, stating their readiness and intention to prevent the vessel from reaching Gaza. At a press conference, Israeli army spokesperson brigadier general Effie Defrin said, "The navy operates day and night to protect Israel's maritime space and borders at sea. We have gained experience in recent years, and we will act accordingly." Also read: Greta Thunberg sails to Gaza with aid: Israel says 'we are prepared', threatens to raid ship The Madleen, which began its journey from Sicily on June 2, represents an ongoing initiative by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a peaceful international organisation that has dispatched vessels to Gaza since 2010 to contest the Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian assistance. Thunberg was photographed on the vessel wearing a keffiyeh scarf and displaying a Palestinian flag, characterising the journey as an expression of solidarity. Her involvement has brought considerable international attention to the initiative.
India.com
5 days ago
- General
- India.com
2,000 KM To Gaza: How Greta Thunbergs Aid Ship Became Israels Headache?
A ship transporting humanitarian supplies to Gaza has captured international attention and escalating controversy. The Madleen is the name of the ship belonging to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) — an international human rights movement seeking to challenge the Israeli sea blockade of Gaza. This mission becomes even more high-profile with 22-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg aboard. Mission With A Message Setting sail from Sicily's port of departure on June 1, the Madleen is attempting a 2,000-kilometer journey to the Gaza Strip. The vessel carried symbolic but essential humanitarian aid, such as flour, milk, water, medicines, baby diapers, and sanitary pads, aimed at the blockaded people in Gaza, where hunger and medical shortages have become critical. Named after Gaza's first and sole female fisherwoman, The Madleen is due to arrive by June 7 — provided it's not blocked by the Israeli navy, which has taken grave concerns about the mission. Greta Thunberg And International Activists Onboard Alongside Greta Thunberg, 11 other international human rights activists are onboard. These include: Rima Hassan – French MP Yasmine Jahr – Germany Baptiste André – France Thiago Ávila – Brazil Omar Fayad, Pascal, and Yanis Mahdi – France Suyab Ordu – Türkiye Sergio Toribio – Spain Marco van Rens – Netherlands Reva Viard – France The coalition sought to challenge peacefully what it calls Israel's illegal blockade and raise international awareness of the Gaza humanitarian crisis. Israel On Alert The Israeli army has publicly said it is keeping an eye on the development closely. Spokeswoman Efi Defrin threatened that Israel will act "according to the circumstances," which indicates that interception is very likely. This comes on the heels of a precedent established last month, when another FFC ship — the Conscience — was allegedly blown up by an Israeli drone attack on May 2. Greta Thunberg Speaks Out Speaking on the ship, Thunberg has stood up for the mission: "We are doing this because we must stand up against injustice. The moment we stop trying, we lose our humanity." Her involvement has, however, triggered intense responses on social media. Photographs and videos of Thunberg waving the Palestinian flag and shouting slogans in support of Gaza have spread on social media, triggering both commendation and reproach. A Symbolic Act Against A 17-Year Blockade Ever since 2007, Israel has maintained a naval blockade on Gaza, managing the import and export of goods and individuals. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition views their mission as a symbolic act of defiance of this blockade, which Israel has determined is both lawful and necessary to ensure national security. As The Madleen approaches Gaza, the world is watching — not so much to witness whether aid finds its way to those most in need, but to see how far activists, governments, and militaries will push each other in the battle for humanitarian access and geopolitical sway.
