Israeli occupation forces have attacked a humanitarian aid ship bound for Gaza as the vessel approached the coastal waters of the besieged Palestinian territory.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the organizer of the voyage, reported on Telegram that the Israeli army boarded the ship, arrested the solidarity volunteers on board, and lost contact with the ship. Meanwhile, the ship’s alarm was sounded and life jackets were prepared in anticipation of a possible interception.
Israeli army is now on board. Contact has been lost with the vessel. pic.twitter.com/MwSBHv3ySc
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) June 9, 2025
Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, who was on board the ship, posted images of the sirens sounding. She later explained that a drone had flown overhead and dropped an unknown white liquid.
As the Madleen set sail from the Italian port of Catania last Sunday, bound for Gaza to deliver aid and break the Israeli blockade on the Strip, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the army to prevent it from reaching Gaza, accusing the activists of being “propaganda mouthpieces for Hamas.”
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is among the volunteers aboard the Madleen who have been kidnapped by Israeli forces.
She calls on the Swedish government to take immediate action to ensure her and others safety and release. pic.twitter.com/jsvyooF8rw
— WAFA News Agency – English (@WAFANewsEnglish) June 9, 2025
The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that the navy directed the ship to change course as it approached a “restricted zone.” About an hour later, it was announced that the ship had been escorted to the Israeli coast, noting that “the passengers are expected to return to their countries.” The Ministry added that “the small amount of aid on board the yacht, which the celebrities did not consume, will be transferred to Gaza through genuine humanitarian channels.”
Hamas Demands Release of Activists
For its part, Hamas demanded the release of the detainees, holding the occupation fully responsible for their safety.In a statement, the movement condemned the crime of piracy committed by the occupation forces by intercepting the ship in international waters, forcibly preventing it from reaching the Gaza Strip, escorting it to the port of Ashdod, and detaining those on board. Hamas described this as “organized state terrorism, a flagrant violation of international law, and an attack on civilian volunteers acting out of humanitarian motives.”
Hamas called on the United Nations and international organizations to condemn this crime and take urgent action to break the blockade on Gaza.
Source: Agencies and Al-Manar
