Israel arrests Greta Thunberg aboard Gaza assistance vessel
(MENAFN) Israeli naval forces have detained the crew and passengers of the civilian vessel Madleen, which was en route to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid. Among those on board were climate activist Greta Thunberg, French Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, and Irish actor Liam Cunningham. The vessel, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was intercepted in international waters on Monday and is being towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident, stating that the passengers are unharmed and will be returned to their home countries. “All passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe. They received sandwiches and water. The show is over,” the ministry posted on X.
UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese reported being on a call with the boat’s captain during the interception. She confirmed that no one was injured but lost contact when another vessel approached the Madleen.
Before the seizure, the activists claimed they were targeted by Israeli drones and quadcopters dispersing a chemical-like substance. In a livestream, FFC activist Yasmin Acar showed a white material on the boat’s deck and said it was irritating her eyes before the feed was cut. Later, the group posted a photo showing passengers in lifejackets with raised hands, along with pre-recorded messages describing the interception as a “kidnapping” and calling for international support.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had earlier warned that the military would take “all necessary measures” to stop the vessel. He criticized Thunberg and others on board, calling them “Hamas propaganda spokespeople” and urging them to abandon the mission.
Thunberg defended her participation, stating that she joined the voyage because “the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity.” The FFC said the boat carried a symbolic amount of aid, including baby formula and rice, and its passengers represented several countries, including Germany, France, Brazil, Turkey, Sweden, Spain, and the Netherlands.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry labeled the voyage a “media stunt” and stressed that aid should be delivered through official channels. It added that any remaining supplies not used by the activists would be forwarded to Gaza via recognized humanitarian routes. The incident is the latest in a series of attempts by international activists to challenge Israel’s blockade on Gaza, which has been in place since 2007.
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