Israeli commandos Kidnapped 'Madleen Gaza flotilla'

Madleen Gaza flotilla live: 

ENB Last updated 09-06-2025 05.09 gmt

Israeli forces seize Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg, ministry says

By Crispian Balmer and Yomna Ehab  June 9, 20253:15 AM GMT+1

• Summary

• Vessel aimed to deliver aid, raise awareness of Gaza crisis
• Crew includes climate activist Greta Thunberg
• Israel says all aboard are safe, heading to an Israeli port
• UN rapporteur urges more boats to challenge Gaza blockade

An Israeli solider passes water to those onboard the Gaza-bound British-flagged yacht "Madleen" after Israeli forces boarded the charity vessel as it attempted to reach the Gaza Strip in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade, in this screengrab from video released on June 9, 2025. Israel Foreign Ministry via X/Handout via REUTERS

JERUSALEM, June 9 (Reuters) - Israeli forces have taken command of a charity vessel that had tried to break a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip and the boat with its crew of 12 including activist Greta Thunberg is now heading to a port in Israel, officials said on Sunday.

The British-flagged yacht Madleen, which is operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza later on Monday and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there.

 An Israeli solider passes food to those onboard the Gaza-bound British-flagged yacht "Madleen" after Israeli forces boarded the charity vessel as it attempted to reach the Gaza Strip in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade, in this screengrab from video released on June 9, 2025. Israel Foreign Ministry via X/Handout via REUTERS

However, the boat was boarded during the night before it could reach shore, the FFC said on its Telegram account. The Israeli Foreign Ministry later confirmed that it was under Israeli control.

"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," the ministry wrote on X.

All passengers were safe and unharmed, the ministry later added. "They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over."

Among the 12-strong crew are Swedish climate campaigner Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament.

A drone view shows the Gaza-bound aid ship Madleen, organized by the international NGO Freedom Flotilla Coalition, anchored off the coast of Catania, Italy, on June 1, 2025. REUTERS/Danilo Arnone/File photo

"The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2 a.m.," Hassan posted on X. A photograph showed the crew seated on the boat, all wearing life jackets, with their hands in the air.

The yacht is carrying a small shipment of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula. The Foreign Ministry said it would be taken to Gaza. "The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels," it wrote.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military on Sunday to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, calling the mission a propaganda effort in support of Hamas.

Israel imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.

The blockade has remained in place through multiple conflicts, including the current war, which began after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, that killed more than 1,200 people, according to an Israeli tally.

Activist Greta Thunberg sits aboard the aid ship Madleen, which left the Italian port of Catania on June 1 to travel to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid, in this picture released on June 2, 2025 on social media. Freedom Flotilla Coalition/via REUTERS

Gaza's health ministry says over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel's military campaign. The United Nations has warned that most of Gaza's more than 2 million residents are facing famine.

The Israeli government says the blockade is essential to prevent weapons from reaching Hamas.

The United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has supported the FFC operation and on Sunday, urged other boats to challenge the Gaza blockade.

"Madleen's journey may have ended, but the mission isn't over. Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid & solidarity to Gaza," she wrote on X.

Reporting by Crispian Balmer, Yomna Ehab and Enas Alashray; Editing by Richard Chang and Lincoln Feast.

Ship, activists being taken to Israel

people in orange vests sit with their hands up

By Lyndal Rowlands 4 Jun 2025 Al Jazeera

Israeli commandos have intercepted the Madleen – in international waters – and forced everyone on board to turn off their phones.

The Madleen ship, launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, is en route to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid to Palestinians starving because of Israel’s months-long total blockade.

Israel has besieged Gaza since March 2, and has kept it under a land, sea and air blockade since 2007.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg is among the 12 activists on board the vessel.

The Madleen departed Sicily on June 1, one month after Israeli drones bombed another aid ship headed for Gaza.

Israel has killed more than 54,000 people in Gaza during this war.

The 2,000km (1,250-mile) journey is expected to take seven days, provided there are no disruptions. The ship’s location is being monitored live by Forensic Architecture and the use of a Garmin live tracker on board.