Israeli naval forces intercept the aid ship "Madleen" in international waters on June 8, 2025. Onboard are 12 peace activists—including Swedish climate advocate Greta Thunberg—on a mission to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza and protest the ongoing blockade.
Date: June 9, 2025
The Israeli military has intercepted a British-flagged aid vessel en route to Gaza carrying Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and other international campaigners. The boat, named Madleen, was part of a mission organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, aiming to deliver humanitarian supplies and draw attention to the worsening crisis in the Gaza Strip. The interception occurred in international waters late on June 8, and the vessel was redirected to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
The ship had departed from Catania, Sicily, on June 1, carrying 12 activists, including French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan. Onboard cargo included baby formula, rice, flour, hygiene kits, crutches, prosthetics, and water sanitation equipment—symbolic aid meant to highlight the blockade’s humanitarian toll. According to the organizers, the vessel also briefly diverted its course earlier in the week to rescue four migrants adrift in the Mediterranean, who were later handed over to European authorities.
As the vessel approached closer to the Gaza coastline, Israeli naval craft surrounded the boat. Activists reported that drones hovered over the vessel, allegedly spraying a white paint-like irritant. Shortly afterward, Israeli commandos boarded the yacht, took control without major resistance, and diverted it to Ashdod. All passengers were reported to be unharmed and provided with basic supplies during the transfer.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed he ordered the operation to prevent any breach of the naval blockade imposed on Gaza. He labeled the campaign a “flotilla of hate,” accusing the activists of supporting Hamas’s narrative and vowing that Israel would take “all necessary measures” to uphold its security. The Israeli Foreign Ministry dismissed the initiative as a “selfie boat” and reiterated that genuine aid is allowed through official channels. The government said the humanitarian goods onboard would be inspected and then sent to Gaza via recognized routes.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition condemned the interception, calling it an unlawful seizure and asserting that its unarmed passengers were effectively “kidnapped” by Israeli forces. The group insisted that their mission was peaceful and humanitarian in nature, echoing past flotilla efforts to challenge the Israeli blockade.
This incident has drawn widespread attention due to the presence of high-profile activists like Thunberg and Hassan, and it immediately invoked memories of the 2010 Mavi Marmara tragedy, in which 10 people were killed by Israeli forces during a similar mission. International reactions are beginning to emerge, with human rights groups and some European politicians criticizing Israel’s actions and urging the reopening of unrestricted humanitarian corridors into Gaza.
Passengers from the Madleen are expected to be questioned and deported from Israel. The aid will be processed through official routes to Gaza, but the political impact of the raid is already spreading. Protests in support of the flotilla have erupted in parts of France and Australia, and international legal experts are calling for a review of the legality of the interception.
This event takes place amid an intensification of the blockade on Gaza, which has been tightened to near-total levels since March 2025, worsening the humanitarian situation. Calls for international maritime access to Gaza and for greater scrutiny of Israel’s policies are expected to rise sharply in the coming days.
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