Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and 11 other international volunteers were detained on Monday evening after their aid ship, the Madleen, was intercepted by Israeli forces and brought to the port of Ashdod. The group had been trying to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza when their boat was stopped in international waters, according to organizers.Upon arrival in Israel, the activists underwent medical checks. Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed their detention, while defence minister Israel Katz said the group was shown footage of the Hamas-led October 7 attack on Israel.Defense minister Katz said they were shown a screening of “the horror film documenting the October 7 massacre” by Hamas, but “when they saw what it was about, they refused to continue watching.” He accused Thunberg and others of ignoring Hamas atrocities by “closing their eyes to the truth.” The Madleen was organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), a group known for challenging Israel’s blockade on Gaza. The ship carried baby formula, food, and medical supplies meant for civilians in the war-torn territory. According to the FFC, Israeli forces used quadcopters to spray the deck with a white, paint-like substance, jam communications, and play disturbing sounds. In a livestream, one activist said the substance was irritating her eyes.Thunberg, in a pre-recorded video later posted by the group, said the ship had been “kidnapped in international waters by Israeli occupation forces.”Israeli authorities say the aid will be redirected to Gaza through official humanitarian channels. But FFC organizer and lawyer Huwaida Arraf said the interception violated international law and ignored a binding ruling from the International Court of Justice that calls for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza.Amnesty International echoed that concern. Its Secretary General Agnes Callamard said the nighttime operation in international waters was dangerous and unlawful.US President Donald Trump also commented on the incident, calling Thunberg “a strange, young, angry person” and sarcastically suggesting she take an “anger management class.” Still, he criticized the interception, saying, “Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg.”Hamas called the operation a “flagrant violation of international law” and demanded the activists’ immediate release. In Ashdod, around 15 protesters gathered with placards reading “Resist genocide” and “Stop state terror.”France confirmed that six of the detainees are French citizens and said President Emmanuel Macron has requested their quick return. The French foreign ministry also called on Israel to allow large-scale humanitarian aid into Gaza without delay.The Madleen had left Sicily last week and had previously rescued four migrants off the coast of Libya during its journey. The FFC said the activists knew the risks, noting past flotillas had been attacked or blocked by Israel. In April, another flotilla vessel was allegedly hit by a drone near Malta, though Israel did not comment.
Despite global pressure, only limited aid has reached Gaza. A UN-backed report in April warned that one in five people in Gaza faces starvation. The FFC said the seized shipment contained vital baby formula and medical supplies.Israel maintains a strict blockade on Gaza, especially during wartime, and has said unauthorized sea access to the territory will not be allowed.