Local weather activist Greta Thunberg, heart, waits to board the Madleen boat, earlier than setting sail for Gaza together with activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departing from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025.
Salvatore Cavalli/AP
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Salvatore Cavalli/AP
AMMAN, Jordan — Israeli forces seized a ship carrying assist for Gaza early Monday in worldwide waters, detaining distinguished local weather change activist Greta Thunberg and different protesters.
The British-flagged ship, the Madleen, set sail from Italy per week in the past to protest Israel’s blockade of Gaza and ship a symbolic quantity of assist. The voyage was organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and included activists from Sweden, France, Brazil and different international locations.
Israeli forces stated they took command of the vessel at sea, detaining Swedish local weather activist Thunberg and the remainder of the crew. Video from the vessel confirmed the unarmed crew and passengers carrying life jackets and elevating their fingers because the ship was boarded.
“When you see this video we now have been intercepted and kidnapped in worldwide waters,” Thunberg stated in a pre-recorded video, calling for stress on the Swedish authorities to assist safe their launch.
Israel stated it could return these detained to their house international locations. The vessel was carrying what the activists stated was a symbolic quantity of meals for Gaza. In postings on X, the nation’s International Ministry confirmed movies of Thunberg and the opposite activists, and stated they’d arrive in Israel later Monday.
Israel banned all worldwide assist from reaching Gaza for 2 months amid growing malnutrition and just lately carried out its personal system of restricted deliveries underneath armed guard.
Drones off the coast of Malta attacked a ship despatched by the flotilla coalition in Could, damaging the vessel. Nobody claimed duty however the group blamed Israel. 9 activists have been killed when Israeli forces stormed a flotilla attempting to interrupt the blockade of Gaza in 2010. Israel has not commented on this incident.
