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Rabat – In a move that has sparked global outrage, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) intercepted the Gaza-bound British-flagged vessel “Madleen” in international waters in the early hours of Monday and detained all activists on board, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
The ship, organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was carrying humanitarian aid and sailing peacefully toward Gaza when Israeli commandos boarded it about 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) from the Palestinian shores.
The activists, who have been closely followed and supported around the world online for weeks, aimed to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza and deliver vital food and medical supplies to Palestinians facing severe shortages due to Israel’s ongoing blockade. They knew the risks, especially as the last vessel “Conscience” was unlawfully bombed by the IOF prior, and what was feared came to reality.
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
“The Madleen was unlawfully boarded by the Israeli military. Quadcopters approached and attacked the people and the boat spraying a white chemical-like substance hurting their eyes…We have not yet heard from the 12 people who were aboard the Madleen. Their whereabouts remain unknown,” the coalition said in an official press release.
According to Israeli authorities, the ship has been redirected to the port of Ashdod. The activists are expected to be deported after being forced to watch footage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, a controversial and manipulative decision condemned by human rights groups.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz congratulated Israeli forces for seizing the peaceful vessel carrying vital aid and accused Thunberg and others of supporting Hamas, claims dismissed by many as baseless.
All the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over. pic.twitter.com/tLZZYcspJO
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025
International backlash
Governments and rights organizations around the world have denounced the unlawful seizure. France demanded the quick return of its six citizens aboard. “As soon as the ship was boarded, we requested to be able to exercise our consular protection over them” and to “visit” them as soon as they reached Israeli territory, “in order to ascertain their situation and facilitate their rapid return to France”, said France’s foreign minister.
Spain summoned Israel’s top diplomat in protest, while Sweden offered what meany described as “vague support” to Thunberg and other Swedish nationals, while Turkiye called the move a “clear violation of international law.”
Iran described the act as “piracy,” and Amnesty International said Israel had no legal right to stop the vessel, especially since it was in international waters. “As the occupying power, Israel has a legal obligation to ensure civilians in Gaza have sufficient food and medicine. They should have let Madleen deliver its humanitarian supplies to Gaza,” said Amnesty chief Agnes Callamard.
The ship’s supporters confirm the mission was peaceful and legal. Organizers accuse Israel of violating maritime and humanitarian law by blocking desperately needed aid.
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who spoke to the crew during the incident, demanded their immediate release. “Breaking the siege is a legal duty for states and a moral imperative for all of us,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Jewish Council of Australia warned that Israel cannot be trusted with the activists’ safety and urged the Australian government to intervene. The Left group in the European Parliament called the act a “blatant violation of international law” and demanded the release of the crew.
‘Solidarity is not a crime’
Before setting sail, the 12 brave activists aboard the Madleen recorded video messages in case they were intercepted. In one, European Parliament member Rima Hassan predicted that Israel would handcuff the crew, take them to Ashdod, and interrogate them. She urged people to pressure governments to act.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition continues to insist that humanitarian aid must reach Gaza and that international pressure is needed to stop what many are calling a campaign of starvation and destruction.
“Solidarity is not a crime,” said one European political group. “Genocide is.”
The world now awaits to seehow governments will respond, and whether more aid ships will attempt to break the blockade in the days to come.
Regardless of the outcome, the Madleen did what international governments have failed to do so far — to take concrete action, break the long Israeli blockade, and bring much-needed food and medicine to those suffering inside.
The activists on board the Madleen were not just delivering aid, they were sending a symbolic message against the ongoing Israeli genocidal war and the way Palestinians in Gaza are being treated. For months, people in Gaza have faced bombing, hunger, and being cut off from the rest of the world at the hands of Israel’s genocidal forces.
The crew’s communication has been cut off and whereabouts unknown, leaving their families, friends, and the world anxiously waiting for updates on the critical situation.
