huffingtonpost - 16 days ago

Climate activist Greta Thunberg with other activists from a human rights organization meets with journalists in Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025, ahead of their departure for the Mideast.Greta Thunberg claims to have been kidnapped by Israel after her ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza was intercepted.The climate activist set sail for the Palestinian territory on June 1, hoping to break through the ongoing Israeli blockade around the enclave and take essential supplies into the war zone.But more than a week later, her ship appears to have been diverted by Israeli forces. Here’s what we know so far.What’s happening in Gaza right now?Israel launched a full-scale offensive into Gaza in October 2023 after Hamas killed 1,200 people on Israeli soil and took 250 others hostage.Aside a brief ceasefire earlier this year, Israel has been relentlessly bombarding the Palestinian territory since.It has also imposed a strict blockade on all aid trying to reach the area, claiming its key to stop weapons reaching the Hamas fighters in the enclave.More than 50,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed since the war began, according to local health officials in the Hamas-run area.The United Nations have warned that the blockade has put the area at risk of famine, with more than two million people in Gaza on the cusp of starvation.Aid distribution points have been set up in Gaza, but they are run by a controversial Israeli and US-backed group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.At least 12 people were allegedly killed by gunshot while travelling to the area on Sunday.These conditions have sparked concern within the international community. The UK, France and Canada, even issued a joint statement earlier this month calling on their ally to cease its renewed offensive in Gaza.What were the activists trying to do?The 12 passengers on board the Madleen ship claimed they wanted to “break the Israeli blockade” by carrying a “symbolic” amount of aid to Gaza.In a mission operated by Freedom Flotilla Coalition (the FFC, but also dubbed the Freedom Flotilla), the activists left Italy on June 1 and claimed to be approaching Gaza on June 8.However, the ship was never expected to achieve its goal because the enclave is so heavily guarded by Israeli forces.But the stunt itself has become a substantial talking point, especially because the high-profile group involved.Those on board include world-famous climate campaigner Thunberg, a French member of the European parliament Rima Hassan, and Omar Faiad, a French journalist with Al Jazeera.The FFC said: “We will not be intimidated. The world is watching.“The Madleen is a civilian vessel, unarmed and sailing in international waters, carrying humanitarian aid and human rights defenders from across the globe... Israel has no right to obstruct our effort to reach Gaza.”It’s not the first time groups have tried to send aid to the warzone.Israeli commandos killed 10 Turkish activists in 2010 when they were sending an aid flotilla to Gaza.What happened when they approached Gaza?The group posted a photo of themselves in life jackets with their hands up on Sunday, writing on social media: “SOS! The volunteers on Madleen have been kidnapped by Israeli forces.”The passengers also posted pre-recorded messages of themselves saying they had been “intercepted at sea and kidnapped by the Israeli occupation forces or by one of its allies complicit and actively participating in the genocide of Palestinians”.SOS! the volunteers on #39;Madleen #39; have been kidnapped by Israeli forces.
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish citizen.
Pressure their foreign ministries and help us keep them safe!

Web: https://t.co/uCGmx8sn8j
X : @SweMFA
FB : @SweMFA
IG : swedishmfa#AllEyesOnMadeleenpic.twitter.com/76Myrg2Bnz Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) June 9, 2025How did Israel respond?Israel’s foreign ministry said the yacht is now “safely making its way to the shores of Israel” so the passengers could return to their home countries.It has also posted photos of Israeli troops handing the passengers food, water and life jackets.But it’s clear Israel did not take kindly to their attempted intervention.Israel’s foreign ministry published a statement which read: “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.”Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said he told the army to show those on the ship a video of the Hamas attack from October 7, 2023.He called Thunberg “anti-semitic” and the rest of the Madleen passengers “Hamas supporters”.Israel said the group had “attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included less than a single truckload of aid”.“There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies,” said the foreign ministry.Hamas, meanwhile, slammed the seizure of the boat as “state terrorism” and said it welcomes its activists.What happens now?It’s not clear where the boat is right now. Israel claims the ship is on its way to Ashdod, an Israeli port city north of Gaza.The UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, called for nearby boats to still challenge Israel’s sea blockade around the Palestinian territory.“While Madleen must be released immediately, every Mediterranean port should send boats with aid, solidarity, and humanity to Gaza. They shall sail together – united, they will be unstoppable,” she wrote.She also called for the UK government to “urgently seek full clarification” and “secure the immediate release of the vessel and its crew”.Her calls join that of Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer, who wrote on X: “Incredibly concerned to see the forcible interception of the Madleen in international waters, and thinking of all those who were on board and have been detained.“UK must condemn this breach of international law and immediately demand their release.”Related...UK Suspends Trade Negotiations With Israel Over Indefensible Actions In GazaIn Political Switchup, Biden State Dept. Spokesman Says Israel s Committing War Crimes Indiscriminate, Unrestrained, Brutal : Former Israeli PM Calls Gaza Assault War Crimes

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