Israeli army stops activist ship on its way to Gaza
After days of traveling on a sailing ship with relief supplies for the people in the Gaza Strip, Greta Thunberg and other activists were stopped by the Israeli authorities shortly before reaching their destination.
09.06.2025, 03:53
SDA
The ship was being taken to the Israeli coast and the passengers were to return to their home countries, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on Platform X early this morning. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition had previously announced that the Israeli army had boarded the ship "Madleen".
The Israeli Foreign Ministry also stated that the activists had attempted to stage a media provocation with the sole purpose of attracting public attention. Their cargo was so small that it was not even the equivalent of a truckload of aid. "There are ways to bring aid to the Gaza Strip - without Instagram selfies," the statement said.
Warning from the defense minister
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had instructed the army on Sunday to prevent the arrival of the ship. "The State of Israel will not allow anyone to break the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip," Katz announced. Israel had already denied activists permission to dock their ships on the coast of the sealed-off Gaza Strip in previous cases.
Days-long journey through the eastern Mediterranean
Thunberg and eleven other activists set sail from Sicily on June 1 to bring urgently needed aid such as baby food and medical supplies to Gaza on a ship belonging to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. At the same time, they wanted to draw international attention to the humanitarian emergency in the densely populated coastal area with around two million inhabitants. After days of sailing through the eastern Mediterranean, they were supposed to arrive on the coast of Gaza on Monday morning.
Thunberg has become world-famous for her rigorous fight for more climate protection. However, the now 22-year-old Swede has also been campaigning for a long time - and now above all - for the interests of the Palestinian population. Her credo: without social justice, there can be no climate justice.
She repeatedly accuses Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians. Critics, on the other hand, accuse her of ignoring the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza war, in her accusations.
Israel has prevented the delivery of food, medicine and other vital goods to the Gaza Strip for almost three months in the course of the war against the Islamist Hamas, but has recently eased the blockade somewhat. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government says it wants to put pressure on Hamas to release the hostages it is holding.
