NewzVille Desk
Israeli naval forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid ship on Monday, detaining international activists aboard—including climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and actor Liam Cunningham—before towing the vessel to Israeli shores.
The ship, named Madleen, was part of a Freedom Flotilla Coalition mission to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, where over 2 million residents continue to face dire shortages amid ongoing conflict and blockade.
The vessel departed from Catania, Italy, on June 1 after its original departure from Malta was delayed due to damage from an drone strike. Activists said the mission was intended as a peaceful challenge to Israel’s naval blockade, which they argue violates humanitarian norms.
Also aboard were Rima Hassan, a French Member of the European Parliament, and other campaigners affiliated with the coalition. The ship was intercepted roughly 160 km off Gaza’s coast, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry stated that the naval blockade on Gaza remains legal under international law and said that all intercepted passengers would be safely returned to their home countries. The ministry emphasized that aid to Gaza continues via official and secure land routes coordinated with international agencies.
Footage released by the Israeli military showed activists in life vests receiving water and food after being detained. Greta Thunberg was seen seated among the group, calm but silent.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition called the interception an act of “maritime piracy,” insisting their voyage was peaceful and lawful. The group has long challenged Israel’s control over access to Gaza by organizing symbolic sea missions intended to draw global attention to what they call an “unjust and inhumane blockade.”
This incident marks the latest in a series of high-profile standoffs at sea and underscores the complex intersection of human rights activism, international law, and regional security concerns in the Middle East.
