Activists aboard the 鈥淢adleen鈥� ship sailing with aid for Gaza were detained after being intercepted by Israeli forces early Monday local time.The Madleen set sail June 1 with 12 activists aboard, including Greta Thunberg. After eight days of sailing, it was 鈥渁ttacked/forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military at 3:02 am CET in international waters,鈥� the coalition said in a statement.鈥淭he ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo鈥攊ncluding baby formula, food and medical supplies鈥攃onfiscated,鈥� the statement said. Later Monday, the activists arrived at a port in Israel. They are undergoing medical exams, according to a post on X from the Israel Foreign Ministry. The account posted a photo of Greta Thunberg at the port, calling the ship the "Selfie Yacht."They were expected to be held in a detention facility before being deported, the Associated Press reports. The 12 activists who were aboard include Greta Thunberg, a climate activist who was named TIME Person of the Year in 2019. Also aboard was Rima Hassan, a member of the European Parliament from France.The activists are from seven different countries, with half from France. Thunberg comes from Sweden, and the other activists come from Germany, Brazil, Turkey, Spain and the Netherlands.The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is a grassroots organization with a goal to end the blockade imposed on Gaza since 2006.The interception comes more than a month after the group said a boat called the 鈥淐onscience鈥� was struck by Israeli drones while carrying aid to Gaza. Another ship carrying aid in 2010, the Mavi Marmara, was boarded, and Israeli forces killed nine people aboard.The current blockade on the Gaza Strip has been going on since March 2. The blockade was partially lifted, but conditions are quickly worsening for people in Gaza, according to CNN. The United Nations reported on June 5 that the daily food intake is falling well below the survival level.Both Israel and Egypt have imposed blockades since 2006, when the militant group Hamas took control. The most recent Israel-Hamas war began when Hamas-led attacks in Israel killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, on Oct. 7, 2023. The Gaza Health Ministry estimates more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel's military campaign, many of whom are women and children.The Associated Press contributed to this story.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
Activists aboard the 鈥淢adleen鈥� ship sailing with aid for Gaza were after being intercepted by Israeli forces early Monday local time.
The Madleen set sail June 1 with 12 activists aboard, including Greta Thunberg. After eight days of sailing, it was 鈥渁ttacked/forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military at 3:02 am CET in international waters,鈥� the .
鈥淭he ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo鈥攊ncluding baby formula, food and medical supplies鈥攃onfiscated,鈥� the statement said.
Later Monday, the activists arrived at a port in Israel. They are undergoing medical exams, according to a post on X from the Israel Foreign Ministry. The account at the port, calling the ship the "Selfie Yacht."
They were expected to be held in a detention facility before being deported, .
The 12 activists who were aboard include Greta Thunberg, a climate activist who was named in 2019. Also aboard was Rima Hassan, a member of the European Parliament from France.
The activists are from seven different countries, with half from France. Thunberg comes from Sweden, and the other activists come from Germany, Brazil, Turkey, Spain and the Netherlands.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is a grassroots organization with a goal to end the blockade imposed on Gaza since 2006.
The interception comes more than a month after the group said a boat called the 鈥溾� was struck by Israeli drones while carrying aid to Gaza. Another ship carrying aid in 2010, the , was boarded, and Israeli forces killed nine people aboard.
The current blockade on the Gaza Strip has been going on since March 2. The blockade was partially lifted, but conditions are quickly worsening for people in Gaza, . The that the daily food intake is falling well below the survival level.
Both Israel and Egypt have imposed blockades since 2006, when the militant group Hamas took control.
The most recent Israel-Hamas war began when Hamas-led attacks in Israel killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, on Oct. 7, 2023. The Gaza Health Ministry estimates more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel's military campaign, many of whom are women and children.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
