The Israeli army prevented the arrival to Gaza of the vessel “Madleen”, which was transporting humanitarian aid and 12 activists, including the renowned environmentalist Swedish Greta Thunberg. The ship had departed from Italy on June 1st with the purpose of delivering assistance in the Palestinian territory.
The organization Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), responsible for the freight of the sailboat, announced on Monday, June 9, 2025, that the boat was boarded by Israeli forces.
“It lost communication with the Madleen. The Israeli army has boarded the ship,” the NGO reported on Telegram, adding that the crew was “kidnapped by the Israeli forces.”
At the time of interception, around 22:00 GMT, the boat was located 31 nautical miles (57 km) off the coast of Gaza.
The order to prevent the passage of the “Madleen” was issued on Sunday by the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz. “I have instructed the army to prevent the arrival of the ‘Madleen’ to Gaza,” Katz declared in a statement.
Addressing the activist directly, he added: “To Greta the anti-Semite and her companions, spokespeople for the propaganda of [the Palestinian Islamist movement] Hamas, I tell them clearly: turn back, because you will not reach Gaza with the humanitarian aid.”
**Context of the blockade and the humanitarian mission**
The Palestinian territory of Gaza, governed by Hamas (considered a terrorist organization by the EU and other nations), has been under an Israeli blockade for years, a measure imposed before the start of the current war.
This war broke out after the Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
Aboard the “Madleen” were citizens of various nationalities: Germany, France, Brazil, Turkey, Sweden, Spain, and the Netherlands. The activists planned to arrive in the Gaza Strip on Monday morning.
Among them, in addition to Thunberg, was the French MEP Rima Hassan, who belongs to the French left-wing party LFI.
Hassan revealed that over 200 European legislators signed an open letter to Israel, urging to allow the arrival of the “Madleen” in Gaza and the “immediate entry of its humanitarian cargo.”
From the vessel, Hassan told AFP: “We will remain mobilized until the last minute, until Israel cuts off the internet and networks.”
This incident is not isolated; in May, another boat from the Freedom Flotilla denounced being attacked with drones.
**The humanitarian crisis in Gaza and criticisms of aid**
Meanwhile, in Gaza, the Civil Defense reported that Israeli attacks killed at least 10 people on Sunday.
According to witnesses and Civil Defense’s Basal, these civilians were heading to an aid distribution center west of Rafah, in southern Gaza, managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
This organization, the GHF, has been criticized by the UN and several humanitarian organizations, which refuse to collaborate with it due to its opaque funding, supported by the United States and Israel.
The Israeli army, on the other hand, stated that they fired at people who “continued to advance in a way that endangered the soldiers” despite warnings.
However, the GHF stated in a release that there were no incidents or injuries “at any of the three sites” it operates, and reported having distributed over a million meals, including over 600,000 through “direct community distribution” via “community leaders.”
Despite these statements, the Civil Defense agency has reported that dozens of people have died near GHF distribution points since late May.
Outside Naser Hospital, where rescuers brought the deceased, images from AFPTV showed relatives in tears, like Lin al Daghma, who sobbed beside her father’s body.
In a community kitchen in Gaza City, Um Ghasan, a displaced Palestinian, told AFP of her fear of collecting food at GHF distribution points due to “many people and lots of shootings,” although she acknowledged that “there are people risking their lives for their children and families.”
The Civil Defense also reported the deaths of five other people, including two girls, in a nighttime attack that hit a tent at the displaced persons’ camp of Al Mawasi, in southern Gaza.
**Balance of the conflict**
The Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, which triggered the current war, resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data.
Of the 251 people kidnapped that day, 55 remain captive in Gaza, and of these, at least 31 have died, according to Israeli authorities.
In contrast, over 54,880 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the Israeli military operation, according to data from the Gazan Health Ministry, considered reliable by the UN.
