A Gaza-bound aid ship carrying a dozen pro-Palestinian activists, including prominent Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was diverted by Israeli forces early this morning, according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
The ship, named Madleen, was reportedly rerouted to Israeli shores, with its passengers expected to be deported.
The vessel was part of a civilian-led initiative by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an international campaign challenging Israel’s long-standing naval blockade of Gaza. It had departed from
Sicily on June 1, carrying humanitarian aid and aiming to highlight the plight of Palestinians in the besieged enclave.
Israel had previously warned it would prevent the ship from reaching Gaza, vowing to use “any means necessary” to uphold the blockade.
This is not the first time such a mission has ended in confrontation. In 2010, a deadly Israeli raid on another aid flotilla, the Mavi Marmara left nine Turkish activists dead and sparked global outrage.
The latest interception revives tense questions about humanitarian access, civilian activism, and the limits of international protest in one of the world's most protracted conflicts.
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