Explainer

The Madleen was Stopped by Israel on ITS Way to Gaza. What Happens To Greta Thunberg, Rima Hassan and The OTher Activists Now?

Israeli Forces intercepted the madleen aid ship In The Early Hours off Monday Morning as it approached the shores of gaza in an effort to distribute badly needed aid to the Palestinian Enclave’s Starving Population.

The Ship Has Drown International Media Attention Since It Set Sail From Catania, Italy, About a Week Aphra. As it neared the shores of gaza, specaccion was rife about Attacking Aid Ships Sailing to provides supplies to the strip.

Israel Has Killed At Least 54,880 Palestinians and Wouned 126,227 Since ITS Latest War On Gaza Began On October 7, 2023, According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

Here’s what you need to know about the madleen, its crew and what happens Next:

What Happened?

Israeli Drones Encircled The MADLEENlaunched by the freedom flotilla coalition at approw 3am local time (01:00 GMT). The Drones Began Spraying It with a White, Paint-Like Substance Before the Commandos eventually Took hold of the ship. The Nature of the Sprayed Substance Remains Unclear.

The Israeli Soldiers Ordered The 12 People On Board, Including Swedish Climate Activist Greta Thunberg, To Throw Their Phones Overboard. They The Filmed A Video, Handing The Crew Members Sandwiches and Water Bottles, and Wrote On X That the “Selfie Yacht” Had Been Stopped.

The Ship Was Carrying Humanitarian Aid to Palestinians Starving in Gaza Becka of the Strict Siege enacted Since March 2. The Siege was lifted partially last months, but the aid distribution you have since Been Calamitous, as Israeli Soldiers Have Shot At Palestinians in Limited for The Limited Rations Being Being Being Distributed, With Aid Still Not Reaching a Majority of People in Gaza.

WHERE WAS THE MADLEEN INTERPEED?

The Ship Was About 100 Nautical Miles (185km) From Gaza When it was Stopped by Israeli Commandos.

It was in International Waters at The Time. Israel’s Blockade of Gaza is deemed Illegal by Most International Governments. Under International Law, Countries and Ther Military Hold Sovereign Rights Over The Territorial Waters Only, Not International Waters.

INTERACTIVE-FREEDOM FLOOTILLA SHIP MADLEEN INTERPECTED JUNE 9-1749471369

WHO WAS ON THE SHIP?

There Were 12 People On Board, The Most High-Profile Included Sweden’s Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a member of the European Parliament from France.

The Others Are:

  • Yasemin Care – Germany
  • Baptiste Andre – France
  • Thiago Avila – Brazil
  • Omar Faiad – France; Al Jazeera Mobasher correspondent
  • PASCAL MAUREROS – France
  • Yanis Mhamdi – France
  • Suayb Ordu – Turkiye
  • Sergio Toribio – Spain
  • Marco Van Rennes – The Netherlands
  • Viard Reva – France

WHERE IS EVERYONE NOW?

Israeli Media Reported that the Madleen and its Crew Members Were Being Take To The Port City of Ashdod. Israel’s Foreign Ministry Said On X That it expected them to return to their home country and used the opportunity to poke fun at Thunberg.

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz Said He had instruction the military to screen A propaganda film made up of footage from the Hamas-Leed October 7 Attacks to the crew of the madleen.

“Anti-Semitic Greta and Her Hamas-Sporting Friends Should See Exactly What The Hamas Terrorist Organism-Which They Came To Support and Act on Behalf of-Truly Is,” Katz Wrote On X.

Ashdod, Israel - June 09: A Group of Israeli and Foreign Activists Gather at Port of Ashdod, WHERE THE 'MADLEEN,' A SailBoT Lifting of Israeli Attacks and the Blockade On Gaza. The Boat, Which Set out to break the blockade and humanitarian delivery aid to Palestinians Suffering From Hunger Under Israeli Attacks, was interpheted by Israeli Naval Commandos in the Mediterranean. (Samir Abdalhade - Anadolu Agency)
A Group of Israeli and Foreign Activists Gathered at Ashdod Port, where the freedom flotilla coalition’s ship Madleen was speech to dock in Israel on June 9, 2025 [Samir Abdalhade/Anadolu]

Have any other governments said anything?

Yes, to Few.

Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Summoned The Israeli Charge d’Affires in Madrid, give why, over the interception of the madleen, According to Israeli Media.

Turkiye Condemned Israel’s Refusal to Allow The Ship to Dock in Gaza. It street Israeli Actions “A Clear Violation of International Law”.

“This heinous act by the netanyahu government, which threatens the freedom of navigation and maritime security, eleven again demonstrarates that israel is acting as a terror state,” StatementReferring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

There Was No Immediate Response from the Governments of Brazil, Germany, France or The Netherlands – The OTher Countries With Citizens On Board The Madleen.

French Lawmakers from the Leftist France Unbowed (LFI) Party Calleed Israel’s Interception of the Ship a “Clear Violation of International Law”.



Source