Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and 11 others onboard the Gaza-bound charity ship Madleen have alleged they were “intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by Israeli occupational forces”. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which operates the vessel, shared a series of pre-recorded videos featuring the activists.
????Greta Thunberg Captured ???? The IDF has taken Greta Thunberg… pic.twitter.com/XiCgzmjP0g
— Isaac’s Army (@ReturnOfKappy) June 9, 2025
Israeli forces intercepted the aid boat in the early hours of Monday as it attempted to breach Gaza’s naval blockade.
In one such video, activist Greta Thunberg said, “If you see this video we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters.” She called on her supporters to put “pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible”.
Also Read
Other activists aboard the ship included Rima Hassan, Reva Viard, Baptiste Andre, Pascal Raymond Maurieras, Yanis Mhamdi (all from France), Sergio Toribio (Spain), Mark van Rennes (Denmark), Huseyin Şuayb Ordu (Turkey), Yasemin Acar (Germany), and Thiago Avila (Brazil).
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition described Madleen, named after a Palestinian fisher, as a “symbol of resistance and resilience”. The group said, “This month, she [Madleen] will sail to Gaza, carrying a cargo of hope and humanitarian aid.”
Earlier posts on Telegram by the organisers revealed that Israeli forces had boarded the vessel. “Connection has been lost on the Madleen. Israeli Army has boarded the vessel,” the FFC posted. Last month, the Freedom Flotilla tried to reach Gaza, but their plan failed when one of its ships was hit by two drones in international waters near Malta. The group said Israel was responsible for the attack, which damaged the front of the ship.
SOS! the volunteers on 'Madleen' have been kidnapped by Israeli forces. Rima Hassan is a French citizen. Pressure the foreign ministries and help us keep them safe! E: alertes.cdc@diplomatie.gouv.fr & courrier.scec@diplomatie.gouv.fr X : @FranceDiplo_EN & @francediplo &… pic.twitter.com/hypzpbwhV8
— Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) June 9, 2025
Israeli response
Israel’s Foreign Ministry denied harming any activists aboard the Madleen. A video released by the ministry stated: “All the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over.”
According to Israeli authorities, the navy had instructed the vessel to change course due to its proximity to a restricted area. AFP reported that the ship was redirected toward Israeli shores.
Criticism of the mission
Israel’s Foreign Ministry referred to Madleen as the “selfie yacht” of the “celebrities”. The ministry said, “There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies.”
Israel also criticised the activists, stating, “While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included less than a single truckload of aid — more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks.”
The ministry added that the “tiny amount of aid” on the yacht, if not consumed by the “celebrities”, would be transferred to Gaza through official humanitarian channels.
Israel-Hamas war
The incident comes against the backdrop of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. The attack killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 250 hostages being taken; over 50 remain in Gaza, with around 20 believed to be alive.
Hamas claims that more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began, without distinguishing between civilians and combatants. Meanwhile, Israel has lost over 400 troops in fighting inside Gaza.
(With agency inputs)
