TEL AVIV (BN24) — Israeli naval forces on Monday intercepted a British-flagged yacht attempting to breach the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip, with climate activist Greta Thunberg among several high-profile figures on board. The vessel, Madleen, was carrying symbolic humanitarian aid and had set sail from Sicily earlier this month in a bid to deliver supplies directly to Gaza, where aid restrictions have drawn international scrutiny.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed that the vessel was “safely making its way to the shores of Israel” after it was boarded. “The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,” the ministry said in a post on X. The interception occurred amid heightened tensions surrounding Israel’s 11-week-long blockade on aid, which humanitarian agencies warn has pushed Gaza’s population to the brink of famine.
Thunberg, who has become an outspoken critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, described the aid voyage as essential in confronting what she called a “live-streamed genocide.” She was joined on the mission by Brazilian political activist Thiago Ávila, French European Parliament member Rima Hassan, and French doctor Baptiste André.
Israel had previously vowed to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, accusing the activists of promoting Hamas propaganda. Defense Minister Israel Katz said he instructed the military to screen video footage of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel to the intercepted passengers once they arrived at the port of Ashdod. Katz also condemned Thunberg directly, labeling her and others on the vessel as “anti-Semitic” and “spokespeople for Hamas.”
Despite the warnings, the Madleen’s crew pressed forward until losing contact shortly after reporting signal jamming and a naval approach near Egyptian waters. The Israeli Navy is heard in video footage instructing the vessel to divert to Ashdod, stating that “the maritime zone off the coast of Gaza is closed to naval traffic as part of a legal naval blockade.”
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the voyage, posted footage of the encounter showing passengers raising their hands amid flashing lights from nearby military boats. United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese said she was on the phone with the vessel’s captain during the interception and later called for the Madleen’s immediate release.
Hamas condemned the interception, calling it further evidence of Israel’s efforts to isolate Gaza. “Gaza is not alone, but rather enjoys the support of the free people of the world,” the group said in a statement.
The attempt to deliver aid by sea came as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, part of a U.S.- and Israel-backed aid plan, reopened three distribution centers in the enclave on Monday. The centers had been shuttered after dozens of Palestinians were killed near aid convoys last week.
Israel began allowing limited aid into Gaza in mid-May under mounting international pressure. The United Nations has warned that more than two million people in Gaza are facing “critical risk of famine” due to severe restrictions on food, medicine, and other essential goods.
Gaza has been under a naval blockade since 2007, when Hamas seized control of the territory. The current war began with Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, which killed more than 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry figures, which are generally considered credible by U.N. agencies.
