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The Madleen boat has reached the Ashdod port in Israel after Israeli forces intercepted the Gaza-bound vessel off the coast of Egypt.
The UK-flagged boat, which was carrying a symbolic amount of aid and intended to break Israel’s naval blockade around Gaza, in place since 2007, was intercepted in the early hours of Monday morning.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organised the voyage, said the activists were “kidnapped by Israeli forces” while trying to deliver desperately needed aid to the territory.
The Israeli foreign minstry said the passengers of the boat are currently undergoing medical examinations after arriving at Ashdod port.
Mr Katz said he had told the military to force the passengers to watch videos of the Hamas atrocities of 7 October upon arrival “to see exactly who the terrorist organisation they came to support and for whom they work is”.
Watch | Greta Thunberg 'kidnapped by Israeli forces' in international waters while carrying aid for Gaza
Jabed Ahmed10 June 2025 04:00
An 18-year blockade
Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.
Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's Palestinian population.
Israel sealed off Gaza from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, but later relented under US pressure.
In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine.
Jabed Ahmed10 June 2025 03:00
Why was the Madleen sailing to Gaza?
The 12-person Madleen set sail for Gaza eight days ago from the port of Catania in Sicily.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), responsible for the boat, said the trip aimed “to break Israel’s more than 17-year illegal and inhumane blockade of the Gaza Strip”.
The ship’s location was being monitored live by Forensic Architecture using a Garmin live tracker on board before that tracker was switched off when Israel intercepted the vessel.
Speaking aboard the Madleen last week, Ms Thunberg told Middle East Eye: “We have promised ourselves and we have promised the Palestinian people to do everything we can.
“When our governments are failing us … then it falls on us to step up and be the adults in the room.
“We are just human beings, very concerned about what’s happening, and do not accept what is going on.”
Jabed Ahmed10 June 2025 02:00
ICYMI | Convoy sets off for Gaza from North Africa to protest Israel's blockade
A convoy of buses and private cars have departed from Tunisia to Gaza as part of efforts to spotlight Israel's blockade on humanitarian aid to the territory.
The overland effort — organized independently but moved up to coincide with the flotilla — is made up of activists, lawyers and medical professionals from North Africa.
It plans to traverse Tunisia, Libya and Egypt before reaching Rafah, the border crossing with Egypt that has remained largely closed since Israel’s military took control of the Gaza side in May 2024.
The Tunisian civil society groups behind the convoy said their aim is to demand “the immediate lifting of the unjust siege on the strip.”
They said that Arab governments haven’t pushed enough to end the 20-month war between Israel and Hamas.
"This convoy speaks directly to our people in Gaza and says, ‘You are not alone. We share your pain and suffering,’" Yahia Sarri, one of the convoy's Algerian organizers, wrote on social media.
The North African activists do not expect their convoy to be allowed into Gaza. Regardless, it provides “a message of challenge and will,” said Saher al-Masri, a Tunis-based Palestinian activist.
Jabed Ahmed10 June 2025 01:00
Watch | Israel reveals tunnel under Gaza hospital ‘where body of Hamas chief was found’
Israel reveals tunnel under Gaza hospital ‘where body of Hamas chief was found’
Israel has released footage of an underground tunnel beneath a hospital in Gaza where it claims it found the body of Mohammed Sinwar, the military leader of Hamas. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) shared a clip of the bunker online, stating that it was further proof that Hamas “hides behind their civilians and purposely embed themselves in civilian areas, such as hospitals”. Footage shows the sprawling infrastructure which consists of a long corridor and several rooms where the IDF claims to have found Sinwar’s body on Sunday (8 June). Israel said Sinwar was killed in a targeted air strike on 13 May, which the Hamas-run civil defence agency said killed 28 people and injured dozens. Hamas has not confirmed his death.
Jabed Ahmed9 June 2025 23:59
Bulletin | Greta Thunberg forced to watch October 7 footage after Israeli forces seize aid boat
Jabed Ahmed9 June 2025 22:59
How many times have sailors tried to break Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza?
There have been at least eleven occasions when Israel has intercepted activists or pro-Palestinian militants attempting to break its blockade on Gaza, we can report.
Israel’s blockade on Gaza has been in place since late 2007.
The most significant incident happened in May 2010, when a six-boat flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli navy around 90 miles from Gaza. Nine people were killed after Israeli commandos opened fire on activists, having boarded the flagship vessel, the Mavi Marmara, Israel claims the activists began attacking the soldiers first. Neither account has been confirmed.
There were additional, major attempts by activists in July 2011, June 2015 and August 2018. The vessels were all boarded without incident by Israeli forces. Like the Madleen, several were taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
Several smaller efforts were also intercepted by Israel, largely in the two years between 2009 and 2011.
In March 2011, the Israelis intercepted a freighter called the Victoria in the Mediterranean with 50 tonnes of concealed weapons allegedly bound for Gaza.
Last month, two drones hit another vessel destined for Gaza while it was off the coast of Malta. It was run by the same organisation that manages the Madleen, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The FFC claimed those drones were Israeli. Israel declined to comment.
Jabed Ahmed9 June 2025 22:14
Watch | Israel reveals tunnel under Gaza hospital 'body of Hamas military chief was found'
Jabed Ahmed9 June 2025 21:44
An 18-year blockade
Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.
Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's Palestinian population.
Israel sealed off Gaza from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, but later relented under US pressure.
In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine.
Jabed Ahmed9 June 2025 21:14
Trump: Thunberg needs anger management classses
US president Donald Trump has said he thinks activist Greta Thunberg is a “strange person”.
Speaking to reporters in the White House, he said: "Well, she's a strange person. She's a young, angry person. I don't know if it's real anger. It's hard to believe, actually, but I saw what happened. She's certainly different...anger management. I think she has to go to anger management class. That's my primary recommendation for her.”
Jabed Ahmed9 June 2025 20:43
