Gaza, June 9, 2025: Israeli naval forces on Monday intercepted and seized a British-flagged aid vessel en route to the Gaza Strip, detaining its 12-member crew, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan. The yacht, Madleen, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was attempting to break Israel’s long-standing naval blockade to deliver humanitarian aid and draw attention to Gaza’s deepening crisis.
The vessel was boarded overnight in international waters before reaching its destination, according to a statement from the FFC posted on Telegram. Israel’s Foreign Ministry later confirmed that the boat had been taken under its control and was being escorted to the port of Ashdod.
“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 said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding that all individuals on board were unharmed and had been provided with food and water. “The show is over,” it stated.
A photograph released by the FFC showed the crew seated on the yacht, wearing life jackets with their hands raised as Israeli forces approached. The Madleen carried a small shipment of aid, including rice and baby formula, which Israeli authorities said would be transferred to Gaza through official humanitarian channels.
The mission was publicly condemned by Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who labeled it a propaganda stunt in support of Hamas. He ordered the interception, stating that upon arrival in Israel, the detained activists would be shown videos of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack — a deadly assault that left over 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage, sparking the current war.
In response, Hamas denounced the seizure as “state terrorism” and praised the flotilla participants for their activism. Since 2007, Israel has maintained a naval blockade on Gaza to prevent arms shipments to Hamas, which it and several Western governments consider a terrorist organization. The blockade has remained through numerous conflicts, including the ongoing war that has devastated the enclave.
According to Gaza health officials, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory offensive since October 2023. The United Nations warns that over two million residents remain largely displaced and at risk of famine.
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, voiced her support for the flotilla, urging further efforts to challenge the blockade. “Madleen’s journey may have ended, but the mission isn’t over. Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid and solidarity to Gaza,” she wrote on X.
