4 hours ago
8
Freedom Flotilla Coalition accuses Israel of 'forcibly intercepting' the Madleen
In a statement just released, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) has accused Israel of “forcibly intercepting” the Madleen and acting with “total impunity”.
It says that at 3.02am CET, the ship was “unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo—including baby formula, food and medical supplies—confiscated.”
“Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen,” said Huwaida Arraf, a Freedom Flotilla organiser.
These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalized for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade—their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end immediately.”
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Madleen has 12 activists on board. Among them are Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, and Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament.
Before leaving Sicily on board the Madleen, Thunberg told reporters: “We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying. Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And, no matter how dangerous this mission is, it’s not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the livestreamed genocide.”
Freedom Flotilla Coalition accuses Israel of 'forcibly intercepting' the Madleen
In a statement just released, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) has accused Israel of “forcibly intercepting” the Madleen and acting with “total impunity”.
It says that at 3.02am CET, the ship was “unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo—including baby formula, food and medical supplies—confiscated.”
“Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen,” said Huwaida Arraf, a Freedom Flotilla organiser.
These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalized for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade—their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end immediately.”
Israel's foreign ministry says Madleen is 'making its way' to Israel
Israel’s foreign ministry has said that the Madleen is “safely making its way to the shores of Israel.”
In a post on X, the ministry says “The passengers are expected to return to their home countries.”
While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included less than a single truckload of aid — more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks, and in addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza.
There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies.”
Referring to the aid-vessel as a “selfie yacht”, the ministry says in the statement that the aid on board “will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels.”
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.
While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included… pic.twitter.com/eEZSJJHVfd
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition shares video of the Madleen before communication lost
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, who are operating the Gaza-bound aid vessel, has posted a video from the Madleen in the moment before communication was lost.
It shows a chaotic scene, as activists wearing life jackets, gather as lights flash around them. One person calls for everyone to “ditch their phones” and throw them overboard. From outside, a loudspeaker can be heard.
The activists then sit and raise their hands, in what appears to be a preparation to be boarded.
One of the members, speaking on a phone, says “we are being boarded, right now … everyone here is safe. No one is wounded right now … Please raise the alarm.”
Earlier, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the activist group operating the vessel, posted on Telegram, that the Madleen was “under assault in international waters.”
Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white irritant substance. Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio.”
Before communication was apparently lost with the Madleen, a number of activists on board the vessel posted video and images of a white substance on the deck of the boat.
Rima Hassan, a French member of the European parliament, posted this image to her X account in the last hour.
Communications lost with Gaza-bound aid ship
Multiple sources have reported that communications have been lost with the Gaza-bound Madleen, amid reports that it has been boarded by the Israeli army.
Al Jazeeera, who have a journalist on board who has been running a live feed, said they lost communication with the vessel “after Israeli commandos intercepted it in international waters.”
They demanded that everyone on board turn off their phones, and we have lost contact with Al Jazeera Mubasher journalist Omar Faiad as well as our live feed.”
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group operating the vessel, said that “connection had been lost with the Madleen.”
UN special rapporteur says she has lost communication with the Madleen
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, has been in touch with the Madleen and says she lost connection with the captain a 1am UK time.
I heard the soldiers speaking while the captain was on the phone with me. I lost connection with the captain as he was telling me that “another boat is approaching”.
BREAKING
1AM UK time. Israeli speedboat reached Madleen. "At the time the boat was intercepted no one is wounded" the captain asked me to record. I heard the soldiers speaking while the captain was on the phone with me. I lost connection with the captain as he was telling me that… https://t.co/BVzbjd4zyK
Freedom Flotilla Coalition says the Madleen has been boarded by the Israeli army
In a post online, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) has said their aid ship, bound for Gaza, has been boarded by the Israeli army.
Connection has been lost on the ‘Madleen’. Israeli army have boarded the vessel.”
The Madleen says it is attempting to reach the shores of the territory to bring in a symbolic amount of aid and raise international awareness of the continuing humanitarian crisis.
Earlier, there were reports from activist on board that Israeli drones were flying over head and spraying with “a white irritant substance.”
Opening summary
The Israeli foreign ministry has said the navy is communicating with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s (FFC) ship bound for Gaza and has advised it to change course.
The FFC has said its Gaza-bound ship was “under assault”. It said the Madleen has had its communications jammed and was surrounded by quadcopters.
Earlier, the Israeli defence minister has threatened to “take all necessary measures” to prevent a humanitarian ship carrying climate campaigner Greta Thunberg from reaching Gaza.
The Madleen says it is attempting to reach the shores of the territory to bring in a symbolic amount of aid and raise international awareness of the continuing humanitarian crisis.
But on Sunday, Israel Katz ordered the Israeli military to stop the ship from getting anywhere near Gaza.
“I have instructed the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] to act so that the hate flotilla … does not reach the shores of Gaza – and to take all necessary measures to that end,” Katz said in a statement.
The situation is developing quickly. We will bring you the latest updates here.
