Greta Thunberg’s Gaza-bound aid ship boarded by Israeli Army, group says ‘connection lost on Madleen’

The organisers of a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship carrying activists including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg said Israeli forces have boarded the vessel.

"Connection has been lost on the 'Madleen'. Israeli Army have boarded the vessel," the “pro-Palestinian” Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) posted on Telegram, referring to the ship.

In another post on Telegram, the FFC said, “SOS! the volunteers on 'Madleen' have been kidnapped by Israeli forces.”

Earlier statement by the group on Telegram sstated that the Madleen is “currently under assault in international waters”.

The group clamed, “Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white irritant substance. Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio.”

Mahmud Abu-Odeh, a Germany-based press officer with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, told AFP that "the activists seemed to be arrested".

The British-flagged yacht Madleen aimed to deliver aid and challenge Israel's naval blockade of Gaza, which has been in place since before the Israel-Hamas war. The yacht, with its 12-person crew, was carrying a symbolic shipment of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula.

Among those on board the boat are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament.

Israel action and reaction

Israel had vowed to prevent the ship from reaching Gaza. 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.

Shortly before the FFC statement, the Israeli Foreign Ministry posted a video on X showing the Israeli Navy communicating with the Madleen over a loudspeaker, urging it to change course as it approached "a restricted area".

"The maritime zone off the coast of Gaza is closed to naval traffic as part of a legal naval blockade," a soldier was quoted by Reuters as saying. "If you wish to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, you are able to do so through the [Israeli] port of Ashdod."

About an hour later, Israel's foreign ministry said Freedom Flotilla coalition's Gaza-bound ship is safely making its way to the shores of Israel.

The ministry said passengers are expected to return to their home countries.

"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," the ministry added.