Local weather activist Greta Thunberg, middle, 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 support for Gaza early Monday in worldwide waters, detaining outstanding local weather change activist Greta Thunberg and different protesters.
The British-flagged ship, the Madleen, set sail from Italy every week in the past to protest Israel’s blockade of Gaza and ship a symbolic quantity of support. The voyage was organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and included activists from Sweden, France, Brazil and different international locations.
Israeli forces mentioned 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 sporting life jackets and elevating their fingers because the ship was boarded.
“If you see this video we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters,” Thunberg mentioned in a pre-recorded video, calling for strain on the Swedish authorities to assist safe their launch.
Israel mentioned it will return these detained to their residence international locations. The vessel was carrying what the activists mentioned 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 mentioned they’d arrive in Israel later Monday.
Israel banned all worldwide support from reaching Gaza for 2 months amid growing malnutrition and just lately applied its personal system of restricted deliveries beneath armed guard.
Drones off the coast of Malta attacked a ship despatched by the flotilla coalition in Might, 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.
