Closing summary
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, congratulated the Israeli army on the “quick and safe takeover” of the Madleen , the Gaza-bound aid vessel. Confirming that the passengers onboard – including climate activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan – will be transported to the port of Ashdod, Katz added that he had instructed the IDF to “show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre.”
Adalah, a rights group in Israel that said it was representing the activists, has claimed that the 12 activists on the Madleen have not yet been brought to the country and they remain at sea. The group said Israel’s Detention Review Tribunal has confirmed that the activists are not currently in its custody and that it appears the authorities intend to deport the individuals upon arrival.
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer described the cargo on the Gaza aid boat as “meagre”. Labelling the ship as a “selfie yacht”, the spokesman claimed less than a truck’s worth of aid was onboard, but said that it would be sent in to Gaza.
Sweden’s ministry of foreign affairs on Monday said that it was aware of the situation on the Madleen and following developments onboard. “The ministry of foreign affairs and the ambassador in Tel Aviv are in contact with local authorities and monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesperson said.
Aid boxes being distributed in Gaza are “simply not enough” and “cannot undo the effects of prolonged starvation”, Oxfam has said. Bushra Khalidi, policy lead at Oxfam, said the nutritional value in the boxes “fall far short of what any principled humanitarian agency with expertise in nutrition and emergency response would recommend”.
France on Monday said it would work to ensure the rapid return home of French citizens aboard a boat carrying aid bound for Gaza that was intercepted by Israeli security forces, AFP reported. President Emmanuel Macron has requested that the six French nationals aboard the Madleen “be allowed to return to France as soon as possible”, a presidential official said, asking not to be named, while foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that Paris would work “to facilitate their swift return to France”.
Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s labour minister and one of the country’s three deputy prime ministers, has criticised Israel’s seizure of the boat and called for a “clear and firm response” from the EU. “I strongly condemn the seizure of the Madleen, which was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza,” she wrote on Bluesky. “This violation of international law demands a clear and firm response from the EU. All my solidarity to the volunteers who are being held. We call for their freeing as soon as possible. #AllEyesOnMadleen“
Israeli fire killed at least 12 people and wounded others as they headed toward two aid distribution points in the Gaza Strip run by an Israeli and US-backed group, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said on Sunday. Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at people who approached its forces. The past two weeks have seen frequent shootings near the new hubs where thousands of Palestinians — desperate after 20 months of war — are being directed to collect food. Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire, and more than 80 people have been killed, according to Gaza hospital officials.
Hundreds of people, mainly Tunisians, launched on Monday a land convoy bound for Gaza, seeking to “break the siege” on the Palestinian territory, activists said. Organisers said the nine-bus convoy was not bringing aid into Gaza, but rather aimed at carrying out a “symbolic act” by breaking the blockade on the territory described by the United Nations as “the hungriest place on Earth”.
Iran said on Monday it will soon present a counter-proposal on a nuclear deal with the US, after it had described Washington’s offer as containing “ambiguities”, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear accord to replace the deal with major powers that US president Donald Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.
Iran has said it will soon start releasing information from a hoard of Israeli nuclear secrets it claims to have obtained, as European countries push for a vote this week on reimposing UN sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme. The unverified claims by Iranian intelligence of a massive leak of Israeli secrets may be designed to turn the focus away from what Iran argues is its own excessively monitored civil nuclear programme.
Palestinians inspect the damage in the rubble of the Shaheen family home, in the Saftawi neighbourhood, west of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, after it was targeted in an Israeli strike.
Aid boxes being distributed in Gaza are “simply not enough” and “cannot undo the effects of prolonged starvation”, Oxfam has said.
Bushra Khalidi, policy lead at Oxfam, said the nutritional value in the boxes “fall far short of what any principled humanitarian agency with expertise in nutrition and emergency response would recommend”.
In an interview with the Guardian, she said:
The aid boxes currently being distributed are simply not enough. A few packages of pasta, flour, oil, sugar, and tinned vegetables cannot undo the effects of prolonged starvation. They lack fresh protein, fruits, and vegetables – essential components for the nutrition of a population facing extreme hunger.
What’s more, there is a severe shortage of clean water, fuel, and cooking gas. People cannot prepare meals with dry goods if they have no means to cook, no fuel, and are living under constant bombardment.
The limited contents of these aid boxes fall far short of what any principled humanitarian agency with expertise in nutrition and emergency response would recommend for a population subjected to nearly 20 months of blockade and mass displacement. This is not just inadequate, it risks becoming an extension of a policy that has weaponised starvation.
Children and families need far more than these insufficient food parcels. They need functioning hospitals, clean water, shelter, mental health support, and access to education, none of which are being addressed at scale.
It is misleading to suggest that these limited aid distributions are enough for more than two million Palestinians enduring Israel’s military siege and total blockade for months. Far more must be done to meet even the most basic humanitarian needs.
Sweden’s ministry of foreign affairs on Monday said that it was aware of the situation on the Madleen and following developments onboard.
“The ministry of foreign affairs and the ambassador in Tel Aviv are in contact with local authorities and monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesperson said.
“Should the need for consular assistance arise, the embassy and the ministry of foreign affairs will assess how we can bets help the Swedish national / Greta Thunberg to solve their situation.”
Hundreds of people, mainly Tunisians, launched on Monday a land convoy bound for Gaza, seeking to “break the siege” on the Palestinian territory, activists said.
Organisers said the nine-bus convoy was not bringing aid into Gaza, but rather aimed at carrying out a “symbolic act” by breaking the blockade on the territory described by the United Nations as “the hungriest place on Earth”.
The “Soumoud” convoy, meaning “steadfastness” in Arabic, includes doctors and aims to arrive in Rafah, in southern Gaza, “by the end of the week”, activist Jawaher Channa told AFP.
It is set to pass through Libya and Egypt, although Cairo has yet to provide passage permits, she added.
“We are about a thousand people, and we will have more join us along the way,” said Channa, spokesperson of the Tunisian Coordination of Joint Action for Palestine, the group organising the caravan.
“Egypt has not yet given us permission to cross its borders, but we will see what happens when we get there,” she said.
Channa said the convoy was not set to face issues crossing Libya, “whose people have historically supported the Palestinian cause”, despite recent deadly clashes in the country that remains divided between two governments.
Algerian, Mauretanian, Moroccan and Libyan activists were also among the group, which is set to travel along the Tunisian and Libyan coasts, before continuing on to Rafah through Egypt.
Rights group claim activists are still at sea
Adalah, a rights group in Israel that said it was representing the activists, has claimed that the 12 activists on the Madleen have not yet been brought to the country and they remain at sea.
The group said Israel’s Detention Review Tribunal has confirmed that the activists are not currently in its custody and that it appears the authorities intend to deport the individuals upon arrival.
It added that because today is not a scheduled hearing day at the Tribunal, any proceedings are expected to take place tomorrow.
The group said:
Adalah reiterates that the activists on the Flotilla are part of a civilian mission to break the illegal blockade on Gaza. The rights group said the Madleen was unlawfully intercepted in international waters and the activists were detained illegally.
Israel has thus far failed to provided sufficient information as to their whereabouts and their legal status, Israel must provide such information immediately and release the unlawfully detained volunteers.
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer described the cargo on the Gaza aid boat as “meagre”.
Labelling the ship as a “selfie yacht”, the spokesman claimed less than a truck’s worth of aid was onboard, but said that it would be sent in to Gaza.
He said Israel had taken control of the vessel smoothly, adding that those aboard the vessel would be returned home to their countries as soon as possible.
The Madleen said it was attempting to reach the shores of the territory to bring in a symbolic amount of aid and raise international awareness of the continuing humanitarian crisis.
Updated
Iran said on Monday it will soon present a counter-proposal on a nuclear deal with the US, after it had described Washington’s offer as containing “ambiguities”, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear accord to replace the deal with major powers that US president Donald Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.
The longtime foes have been locked in a diplomatic standoff over Iran’s uranium enrichment, with Tehran defending it as a “non-negotiable” right and Washington describing it as a “red line”.
On 31 May, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received “elements” of a US proposal, with Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi later saying the text contained “ambiguities”.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei criticised the US proposal as “lacking elements” reflective of the previous rounds of negotiations, without providing further details.
“We will soon submit our own proposed plan to the other side through (mediator) Oman once it is finalised,” Baqaei told a weekly press briefing.
“It is a proposal that is reasonable, logical and balanced, and we strongly recommend that the American side value this opportunity.”
Iran’s parliament speaker has said the US proposal failed to include the lifting of sanctions – a key demand for Tehran, which has been reeling under their weight for years.
Trump expected to speak to Netanyahu
US president Donald Trump planned to speak with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, a White House official told Reuters.
The call comes as Trump has been trying to accelerate aid into Gaza and has been trying to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear program.
Iran has said it will soon start releasing information from a hoard of Israeli nuclear secrets it claims to have obtained, as European countries push for a vote this week on reimposing UN sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme.
The unverified claims by Iranian intelligence of a massive leak of Israeli secrets may be designed to turn the focus away from what Iran argues is its own excessively monitored civil nuclear programme.
Jo-Ann Mort is co-author of Our Hearts Invented a Place: Can Kibbutzim Survive in Today’s Israel? She writes frequently about Israel for US, UK, and Israeli publications.
Emmanuel Macron has become enemy No 1 for the Netanyahu government. That’s because the French president aims to create momentum for a Palestinian state beside Israel encompassing the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and the Gaza Strip, reviving what is fast becoming an out-of-reach possibility – a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.
That’s why Macron has earned the fury of an increasingly unhinged Israeli prime minister. France is expected to co-chair an organizing conference at the United Nations in New York in mid-June, taking advantage of heads of state already in North America for the Canadian-based G7 summit a few days earlier. He hopes this conference will include the all-important Saudi Arabia and other Arab states.
Right now, it’s anyone’s guess whether the Saudis show up, as they calculate whether there is enough maneuverability on the Palestinian issue for them to expose themselves. I hope they show up – either at the foreign ministry level or, dramatically, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman himself as co-chair, as Macron initially envisioned. The reality is that with a far-right Israeli government and prime minister in the clutches of its most extreme elements, it’s urgently important for world leaders who want to maintain a two-state option to turn up and shout out. There is no more important figure right now for Macron to have by his side than Prince Mohammed, who could also help influence a US president who presently appears to have no consistent diplomatic strategy for Israel-Palestine.
You can read more of Jo-Ann Mort’s opinion piece here: Macron must lead the EU push to end Israel’s war on Gaza
The Swedish foreign ministry said it was in contact with Israeli authorities.
“Should the need for consular support arise, the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will assess how we can best help the Swedish citizen/Greta Thunberg resolve her situation,” a Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a written statement to Reuters.
Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer has hit out at Greta Thunberg after her Gaza aid boat was detained.
Speaking at a press conference, he addressed her directly and asked “who is really feeding Gaza and who is really feeding their own ego?”.
Speaking in a typically combative style, Mencer went on:
For the last two weeks alone, Israel has facilitated more than 1,200 trucks laden with aid to enter Gaza.
The very latest figures from Gaza are that close to 11 million meals have been delivered directly to Gazans.
To those that really do wish to get real aid to Gaza, there are proper, organised channels.
Palestinians flee their homes after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders, in Jabalia.
Iran has said it will soon start releasing information from a hoard of Israeli nuclear secrets it claims to have obtained, as European countries push for a vote this week on reimposing UN sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme.
The unverified claims by Iranian intelligence of a massive leak of Israeli secrets may be designed to turn the focus away from what Iran argues is its own excessively monitored civil nuclear programme.
On Sunday, Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, claimed Tehran had obtained “a vast collection of strategic and sensitive [Israeli] documents, including plans and data on the nuclear facilities”. He added evidence would be released shortly, and implied some of the documentation was linked to Israel’s arrest of two Israeli nationals, Roi Mizrahi and Almog Attias, over alleged spying for Iran.
Even within Iran there is scepticism that Iranian agents could have obtained such dramatic intelligence. The claim may be designed to warn off Israel from acting on its repeated threat to bomb Iran’s nuclear sites since Iranian insight into Israel’s own nuclear programme would increase the risk of effective Iranian reprisals.
European powers are preparing to press for a vote at the quarterly board meeting of the nuclear inspectorate the IAEA in Vienna, which starts on Monday, that could lead to the reimposition of UN sanctions in October. France, Germany and the UK will cite a 20-page comprehensive report commissioned from the IAEA secretariat on Iran’s failure to comply with the nuclear deal agreed in 2015, and Tehran’s years-long failure to answer questions about aspects of its previous nuclear programme.
France on Monday said it would work to ensure the rapid return home of French citizens aboard a boat carrying aid bound for Gaza that was intercepted by Israeli security forces, AFP reported.
President Emmanuel Macron has requested that the six French nationals aboard the Madleen “be allowed to return to France as soon as possible”, a presidential official said, asking not to be named, while foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that Paris would work “to facilitate their swift return to France”.
Adalah, a rights group in Israel that said it was representing the activists, said Israel had “no legal authority” to take over the ship because it was in international waters and because it was headed not to Israel but to the “territorial waters of the state of Palestine”.
“The arrest of the unarmed activists, who operated in a civilian manner to provide humanitarian aid, amounts to a serious breach of international law,” Adalah said in a statement, adding:
Adalah demands the immediate disclosure of the activists’ location and legal status, and their access to legal counsel to enable legal representation before Israeli authorities and tribunals.
Adalah will pursue legal actions to secure the activists’ safety and release.
Updated
An Israeli man confronts Israeli activists holding placards and waving Palestinian flags as they protest near the port of Ashdod, Israel.
Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s labour minister and one of the country’s three deputy prime ministers, has criticised Israel’s seizure of the boat and called for a “clear and firm response” from the EU.
“I strongly condemn the seizure of the Madleen, which was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza,” she wrote on Bluesky. “This violation of international law demands a clear and firm response from the EU. All my solidarity to the volunteers who are being held. We call for their freeing as soon as possible. #AllEyesOnMadleen“
Spain’s socialist-led government has been one of the most outspoken European critics of Israel’s prosecution of its war in Gaza.
Last month, Israel said it had summoned the Spanish ambassador for a formal reprimand after the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, described Israel as a “genocidal state”.
Sánchez made the remarks during an exchange in the Spanish parliament in which his government was accused of continuing to trade with Israel. “I want to clarify one thing,” the prime minister said. “We don’t trade with a genocidal state. We don’t.”
The prime minister has previously expressed “genuine doubts” about whether Israel was complying with international humanitarian law in its offensive in Gaza, while Díaz has said “the genocide of the Palestinian people cannot go unpunished”.
Spain’s foreign ministry has summoned an Israeli diplomat to a meeting today in protest at the seizing of the Madleen, according to El País. A Spanish citizen, Sergio Toribio, is among the activists on the boat.
“The foreign ministry is in contact with the Spaniard in question, with his family and with the Israeli foreign ministry, and is exercising consular protection with regard to our citizen,” foreign ministry sources told the paper.
A pre-recorded video posted on social media shows Toribio holding up his Spanish passport and saying: “My name is Segio Toribio from Spain. If you are seeing this video, we have been intercepted at sea and I have been kidnapped by Israeli occupation forces, or forces of a country complicit in Israel’s genocide of Palestinians.
I appeal to all my comrades, friends and family to put pressure on the Spanish government to demand my release as soon as possible.”
Our correspondent Emma Graham-Harrison in Jerusalem has this report on the seizure of the Madleen
Israel’s military took control of a boat trying to deliver food to Palestinians in Gaza in the early hours of Monday morning, and brought its crew of activists including Greta Thunberg to an Israeli port.
The Madleen was making a symbolic attempt to break to the blockade of Gaza and raise awareness of a looming “starvation crisis”.
It was never likely to get through Israel’s naval blockade of the territory, where UN-backed experts have warned of looming famine, and dozens of people have been killed by Israeli forces trying to reach food distribution centres.
Even attempting to reach Gaza by boat is risky. In May, another boat sailing as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group that organised the Madleen’s voyage, caught fire off Malta and issued an SOS after what the group said was an attack by Israeli drones. Israel’s military declined to comment.
Read the full story here
Turkey accuses Israel of acting 'as a terror state'
Turkey has also condemned Israel’s seizure of the Madleen and accused Israel of acting “as a terror state”.
Turkish activist Suayb Ordu is among the 12-strong crew. The Turkish foreign ministry called the move a “clear violation of international law”.
It said the intervention threatened maritime security and “once again demonstrates that Israel is acting as a terror state.”
Updated
Iran calls interception of the Madleen 'an act of piracy'
Iran has condemned Israel’s interception of the Madleen, the Gaza-bound aid vessel, describing it as an act of piracy, according to Agence France-Presse.
“The assault on this flotilla - since it happened in international waters - is considered a form of piracy under international law,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a press briefing in Tehran on Monday.
Israeli fire killed at least 12 people and wounded others as they headed toward two aid distribution points in the Gaza Strip run by an Israeli and US-backed group, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said on Sunday. Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at people who approached its forces.
The past two weeks have seen frequent shootings near the new hubs where thousands of Palestinians — desperate after 20 months of war — are being directed to collect food. Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire, and more than 80 people have been killed, according to Gaza hospital officials.
Associated Press reported that, in total, at least 108 bodies were brought to hospitals in Gaza over the past 24 hours, the territory’s health ministry said. Israel’s military said it struck dozens of militant targets throughout Gaza over the past day.
Eleven of the latest bodies were brought to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. Palestinian witnesses said Israeli forces fired on some at a roundabout around a kilometre from a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or GHF, in nearby Rafah.
Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at approaching “suspects” who ignored warnings to turn away. It said the shooting happened in an area that is considered an active combat zone at night.
Al-Awda Hospital said it received the body of a man and 29 people who were wounded near another GHF aid distribution point in central Gaza.
A GHF official said there was no violence in or around its distribution sites, all three of which delivered aid on Sunday. The group closed them temporarily last week to discuss safety measures with Israel’s military and has warned people to stay on designated access routes. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
Summary
It’s 9am in Israel where activists on board a Gaza-bound aid ship have reportedly been transferred to an Israeli port after they were intercepted at sea by the country’s navy. Here’s the latest:
Israeli forces intercepted the Madleen after it tried to break a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, and detained its crew of 12 including activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan. The British-flagged ship, which is operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there.
The FFC said the boat was boarded during the night before it could reach shore. In a post online, the organisation said the ship was “unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo—including baby formula, food and medical supplies—confiscated.”
The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed the Madleen was under Israeli control and “making its way to the shores of Israel,” adding that its passengers are “expected to return to their home countries.” Referring to the aid-vessel as a “selfie yacht”, the ministry said all passengers were safe and unharmed and that the aid on board “will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels.”
A social media account belonging to MEP Rima Hassan - who was on board the vessel - said “the crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2am.” A picture posted on the account showed the crew seated on the boat, all wearing lifejackets, with their hands in the air.
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, congratulated the Israeli army on the “quick and safe takeover” of the Madleen and confirmed the passengers on board would be transported to the port of Ashdod. Katz added that he had instructed the IDF to “show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre.”
Earlier on Sunday, Katz ordered the military to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, calling the mission a propaganda effort in support of Hamas. Katz said that the blockade was essential to Israel’s national security as it seeks to destroy Hamas.
The United Nations’ special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, said she had been in touch with the Madleen before communication had been lost. “Madleen’s journey may have ended, but the mission isn’t over. Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid & solidarity to Gaza,” she wrote on X.
Palestinian rights organisation Al-Haq has called for the “safe passage and protection of the crew of The Madleen, a ship of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, and to ensure a humanitarian corridor to Gaza.”
Detained activists must be released & protected now. Let the #Madleen sail to Gaza.”
Al-Haq urges states & intl orgs to ensure safe passage for the Madleen crew. Detained activists must be released & protected now. Let the #Madleen sail to Gaza. #FreePalestine #LetMadleenSail #MadleenToGazahttps://t.co/pbACi5xtBf pic.twitter.com/aZAYhzf0ro
— Al-Haq الحق (@alhaq_org) June 9, 2025
If you’re just joining us, Israeli forces have taken command of a vessel that tried to challenge its naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, with the boat and its crew of 12 including activist Greta Thunberg now heading to a port in Israel, officials said on Sunday.
The British-flagged yacht Madleen, which is operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza later on Monday and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there.
However, the boat was boarded in the early hours of Monday before it could reach shore, the FFC said on its Telegram account. The Israeli foreign ministry later confirmed that it was under Israeli control.
You can read our full report here:
The Palestinian ministry of foreign affairs has called on the crew of the Madleen to be protected.
In a post on X, the ministry – based in the West Bank – said it “appreciates their efforts and the extreme hardships and dangers they endured at sea in pursuit of this noble humanitarian goal of standing by our people in the Gaza Strip.”
The Ministry calls on the international community and all countries to heed the call of international activists and their humanitarian message.
الخارجية تثمن جهود المتضامنين الدوليين على سفينة كسر الحصار وتطالب بحمايتهم
— State of Palestine - MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) June 8, 2025
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs appreciates the efforts of international activists aboard the Freedom #Flotilla and calls for their protection. pic.twitter.com/liKPNcjJWD
Israel's defence minister says Madleen passengers will be shown video of 7 October attacks
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, has congratulated the Israeli army on the “quick and safe takeover” of the Madleen , the Gaza-bound aid vessel.
Confirming that the passengers onboard – including climate activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan – will be transported to the port of Ashdod, Katz added that he had instructed the IDF to “show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre.”
Referring to Thunberg personally, as well as the other activists on board, Katz said he wanted them to “see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organization they came to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself.”
The current war in Gaza began after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023 that killed more than 1,200 people, according to an Israeli tally.
Gaza’s health ministry says over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of that campaign.
Updated
Who is Greta Thunberg?
Greta Thunberg, 22, became the face of youth climate activism as her weekly protests, which started in 2018 in front of the Swedish parliament, quickly grew into a global movement with large rallies across continents.
She is a vocal campaigner against the war in Gaza.
She had been due to board a previous Freedom Flotilla ship last month. That attempt to reach Gaza by sea in early May failed after another of the group’s vessels, the Conscience, was allegedly attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta.
Before the Madleen departed, Thunberg said “We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying.”
Last month another aid ship operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship.
At the time, the FFC said “armed drones attacked the front of an unarmed civilian vessel twice, causing a fire and a substantial breach in the hull.”
Greta Thunberg – who was on Sunday’s intercepted aid vessel – told Reuters she had been supposed to board the ship last month.
“I was part of the group who was supposed to board that boat today to continue the voyage towards Gaza, which is one of many attempts to open up a humanitarian corridor and to do our part to keep trying to break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza,” she said. “This attack caused an explosion and major damage to the vessel, which made it impossible to continue the mission.”
Here is a bit of background on the aid situation in Gaza, via AFP:
Israel is facing mounting international pressure to allow more aid into Gaza, after a more than two-month total blockade led to widespread shortages of food and basic supplies.
It has recently started working with the newly formed, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to distribute aid via a handful of centres in south and central Gaza.
But humanitarian agencies have criticised the GHF and the United Nations refuses to work with it, citing concerns over its practices and neutrality. Dozens of people have been killed near GHF distribution points since late May, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency. It said Israeli attacks killed at least 10 people on Sunday, including five civilians hit by gunfire near an aid distribution centre.
In a Guardian report from Sunday, Israel’s military said it had fired warning shots at people who had approached its forces. It acknowledged reports of injuries but did not specify how many people it believed had been affected.
Summary
It’s 6.40am in Israel where activists on board a Gaza-bound aid ship have reportedly been transferred to an Israeli port after they were intercepted at sea by the country’s navy. Here’s the latest:
Israeli forces intercepted the Madleen after it tried to break a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, and detained its crew of 12 including activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan. The British-flagged ship, which is operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there.
The FFC said the boat was boarded during the night before it could reach shore. In a post online, the organisation said the ship was “unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo—including baby formula, food and medical supplies—confiscated.”
The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed the Madleen was under Israeli control and “making its way to the shores of Israel,” adding that its passengers are “expected to return to their home countries.” Referring to the aid-vessel as a “selfie yacht”, the ministry said all passengers were safe and unharmed and that the aid on board “will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels.”
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz ordered the military to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza, calling the mission a propaganda effort in support of Hamas. Katz said that the blockade was essential to Israel’s national security as it seeks to destroy Hamas.
The United Nations’ special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, said she had been in touch with the Madleen before communication had been lost. “Madleen’s journey may have ended, but the mission isn’t over. Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid & solidarity to Gaza,” she wrote on X.
Among those on board the Madleen was Omar Faiad, a journalist with the Al Jazeera network. He was broadcasting from the vessel until communication was cut as it was intercepted by the Israeli navy.
In a video shared by Al Jazeera, the passengers are seen sat around a table with their arms raised as light shines on to them from outside. A loudspeaker in the distance tells them “don’t be afraid.”
One of the crew tells them to “assume their positions”. He goes on to say “we are being intercepted right now.”
A voice then commands that “phones are thrown into the water”, but it is unclear who is saying this.
Updated
International reaction to the Madleen’s interception continues to roll in. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) – America’s largest Muslim civil rights organisation – condemned the move, calling it a “blatant act of international piracy.”
In a statement, CAIR national executive director Nihad Awad said: “We applaud Greta Thunberg and the other activists of the Madleen who bravely risked their safety and freedom to help the starving people of Gaza.”
We call on governments – especially western governments funding Israel’s genocide and Arab Muslim governments watching it happen – to show an iota of the courage demonstrated by those on the Madleen by using every tool at their disposal to force an end to the genocide.”
"We strongly condemn the cowardly and illegal Israeli attack on the Madleen's as it approached Gaza with desperately-need humanitarian supplies. This is a blatant act of international piracy and state terrorism." @NihadAwad
— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) June 9, 2025
READ: https://t.co/nWvdxAuqtl https://t.co/3tSOQVAAK5
In France, crowds are reportedly gathering at the Place de la République to protest the action. Among those on board the Madleen is Rima Hassan, a French member of the European parliament.
And in Australia, snap protest have been called in at least three states – including Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales.
Israeli media report Madleen will be taken to Ashdod
Israeli media are reporting that the Madleen and its passengers will be taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
The Jerusalem Post has said that the the military’s naval unit, Shayetet 13, was responsible for the interception at around 3am local time.
Earlier we had a statement from the Israeli foreign ministry, saying those on board would be “expected to return to their home countries.”
Earlier, Israel’s foreign ministry released a video of a representative of the country’s navy communicating with the Madleen.
In it, the official says over a loudspeaker that the coast of Gaza “is closed,” adding that if they wish to deliver aid they are able to through “established channels” via the Israeli port of Ashdod.
The Israeli Navy is currently communicating with the “selfie yacht”. Using an international civilian communication system, the Israeli Navy has instructed the “selfie yacht” to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area. pic.twitter.com/KnSqWrsXU2
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 8, 2025
In the hours before the Madleen was intercepted, Yasemin Acar, one of the activists who was on board, posted a series of videos online documenting the final moments of the voyage.
In one, she films a drone flying above the ship, telling her followers they are taking cover. Later she says she is masking her face because a white liquid has been sprayed on the deck of the vessel.
They did say they want to intercept us in a calm way, but this is not what is happening.”
In the final video posted from on board she tells her supporters the Madleen is being “intercepted”. In the background, another activist tells the passengers to throw their phones overboard while a loudspeaker in the background says “don’t be afraid.”
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, has called on others to send aid vessels to Gaza, adding “BreakingTheSiege is a legal duty for states, and a moral imperative for all of us.”
While #Madleen must be released immediately, every Mediterranean port should send boats with aid, solidarity, and humanity to Gaza. They shall sail together—united, they will be unstoppable.”
While #Madleen must be released immediately, every Mediterranean port should send boats with aid, solidarity, and humanity to Gaza. They shall sail together—united, they will be unstoppable.#BreakingTheSiege is a legal duty for states, and a moral imperative for all of us. pic.twitter.com/FeaD1Fq4Dk
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) June 9, 2025
The Madleen left the port of Catania in Sicily, southern Italy, on 1 June and was attempting to reach Gaza to bring in a symbolic amount of aid and raise international awareness of the continuing humanitarian crisis.
A months-long aid blockade on the territory was slightly eased in mid-May, allowing a limited amount of humanitarian aid into the territory. But malnutrition is spreading, medics and aid workers have warned, with UN officials describing Gaza as “the hungriest place on Earth”.
On Sunday, Israel’s foreign minister said he would “not allow anyone to break the naval blockade on Gaza, whose primary purpose is to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hamas.”
Israel’s plan to concentrate food delivery in hubs guarded by private security contractors and the Israeli military and provided by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has proved to be chaotic and dangerous, critics say.
At least four people were killed and others wounded by Israeli fire on Sunday, about a kilometre from a food distribution point in Gaza, Palestinian medics and officials said. The deaths bring the number of people who have been killed while trying to find food in Gaza since 27 May, when GHF became responsible for civilian food provision, to 110. More than 1,000 have been injured.
Last month, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said another of its vessels was bombed by drones and disabled while in international waters off Malta as it headed towards Gaza.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the group operating the vessel, is posting a series of pre-recorded videos online of activist who were on board the Madleen.
In one, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg says, “if you see this video we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters.” She calls on her supporters to put “pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible.”
SOS! the volunteers on 'Madleen' have been kidnapped by Israeli forces.
— Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) June 9, 2025
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish citizen.
Pressure their foreign ministries and help us keep them safe!
Web: https://t.co/uCGmx8sn8j
X : @SweMFA
FB : @SweMFA
IG : swedishmfa#AllEyesOnMadeleen pic.twitter.com/76Myrg2Bnz
In another, French activist Reve Viard says “If you are seeing this video, it means we got intercepted by the Israeli forces.” He asks that his supporters share the video, to “put pressure on the French government so the we could be released with our friends.”
Updated
Before communication with the vessel was lost, Yanis Mhamdi, a French journalist on board the Madleen, posted this video online, which apparently shows a drone, flying over the ship.
Je suis journaliste et après avoir couvert pendant une semaine le convoi de la Feeedom Flotilla mon arrestation par l'armée israélienne est imminente. Des humanitaires et des journalistes n'ont pas être arrêté J'appelle tous mes confrères à se mobiliser. @blast_france pic.twitter.com/T1hiNZXLQf
— Yanis Mhamdi (@yanmdi) June 8, 2025
In the post he writes, “I am a journalist, and after covering the Freedom Flotilla convoy for a week, my arrest by the Israeli army is imminent. Humanitarian workers and journalists should not be arrested. I call on all my colleagues to mobilize.”
Updated
Israel releases video of passengers from the Madleen
Israel’s foreign ministry has posted a video of the activists from the Madleen, including French MEP Rima Hassan and climate activist Greta Thunberg.
In its post, the ministry said “All the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over.”
The organisation behind the aid mission said in a statement earlier that the Israeli army boarded the vessel and “abducted” the crew.
We had a statement from the Israeli foreign ministry in the last hour, saying those on board would be “expected to return to their home countries.”
Updated
The team working for French MEP, Rima Hassan, who is on board the Madleen, say they have lost contact with her.
They claim she was “arrested in international waters by the Israeli army.”
In a post on her X account, they released the last image from a live feed on board the vessel.
The last image of the crew. pic.twitter.com/PkYQSLa3Ri
— Rima Hassan (@RimaHas) June 9, 2025
Updated
According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Madleen has 12 activists on board. Among them are Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, and Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament.
Before leaving Sicily on board the Madleen, Thunberg told reporters: “We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying. Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And, no matter how dangerous this mission is, it’s not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the livestreamed genocide.”
Freedom Flotilla Coalition accuses Israel of 'forcibly intercepting' the Madleen
In a statement just released, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) has accused Israel of “forcibly intercepting” the Madleen and acting with “total impunity”.
It says that at 3.02am CET, the ship was “unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo—including baby formula, food and medical supplies—confiscated.”
“Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen,” said Huwaida Arraf, a Freedom Flotilla organiser.
These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalized for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade—their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end immediately.”
Updated
Israel's foreign ministry says Madleen is 'making its way' to Israel
Israel’s foreign ministry has said that the Madleen is “safely making its way to the shores of Israel.”
In a post on X, the ministry says “The passengers are expected to return to their home countries.”
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, and in addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza.
There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies.”
Referring to the aid-vessel as a “selfie yacht”, the ministry says in the statement that the aid on board “will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels.”
The “selfie yacht” of the “celebrities” is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries.
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025
While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included… pic.twitter.com/eEZSJJHVfd
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition shares video of the Madleen before communication lost
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, who are operating the Gaza-bound aid vessel, has posted a video from the Madleen in the moment before communication was lost.
It shows a chaotic scene, as activists wearing life jackets, gather as lights flash around them. One person calls for everyone to “ditch their phones” and throw them overboard. From outside, a loudspeaker can be heard.
The activists then sit and raise their hands, in what appears to be a preparation to be boarded.
One of the members, speaking on a phone, says “we are being boarded, right now … everyone here is safe. No one is wounded right now … Please raise the alarm.”
Earlier, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the activist group operating the vessel, posted on Telegram, that the Madleen was “under assault in international waters.”
Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white irritant substance. Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio.”
Before communication was apparently lost with the Madleen, a number of activists on board the vessel posted video and images of a white substance on the deck of the boat.
Rima Hassan, a French member of the European parliament, posted this image to her X account in the last hour.
— Rima Hassan (@RimaHas) June 8, 2025
Updated
Communications lost with Gaza-bound aid ship
Multiple sources have reported that communications have been lost with the Gaza-bound Madleen, amid reports that it has been boarded by the Israeli army.
Al Jazeeera, who have a journalist on board who has been running a live feed, said they lost communication with the vessel “after Israeli commandos intercepted it in international waters.”
They demanded that everyone on board turn off their phones, and we have lost contact with Al Jazeera Mubasher journalist Omar Faiad as well as our live feed.”
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group operating the vessel, said that “connection had been lost with the Madleen.”
UN special rapporteur says she has lost communication with the Madleen
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, has been in touch with the Madleen and says she lost connection with the captain a 1am UK time.
I heard the soldiers speaking while the captain was on the phone with me. I lost connection with the captain as he was telling me that “another boat is approaching”.
BREAKING
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) June 9, 2025
1AM UK time. Israeli speedboat reached Madleen. "At the time the boat was intercepted no one is wounded" the captain asked me to record. I heard the soldiers speaking while the captain was on the phone with me. I lost connection with the captain as he was telling me that… https://t.co/BVzbjd4zyK
Freedom Flotilla Coalition says the Madleen has been boarded by the Israeli army
In a post online, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) has said their aid ship, bound for Gaza, has been boarded by the Israeli army.
Connection has been lost on the ‘Madleen’. Israeli army have boarded the vessel.”
The Madleen says it is attempting to reach the shores of the territory to bring in a symbolic amount of aid and raise international awareness of the continuing humanitarian crisis.
Earlier, there were reports from activist on board that Israeli drones were flying over head and spraying with “a white irritant substance.”
Opening summary
The Israeli foreign ministry has said the navy is communicating with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s (FFC) ship bound for Gaza and has advised it to change course.
The FFC has said its Gaza-bound ship was “under assault”. It said the Madleen has had its communications jammed and was surrounded by quadcopters.
Earlier, the Israeli defence minister has threatened to “take all necessary measures” to prevent a humanitarian ship carrying climate campaigner Greta Thunberg from reaching Gaza.
The Madleen says it is attempting to reach the shores of the territory to bring in a symbolic amount of aid and raise international awareness of the continuing humanitarian crisis.
But on Sunday, Israel Katz ordered the Israeli military to stop the ship from getting anywhere near Gaza.
“I have instructed the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] to act so that the hate flotilla … does not reach the shores of Gaza – and to take all necessary measures to that end,” Katz said in a statement.
The situation is developing quickly. We will bring you the latest updates here.
