Climate activist Greta Thunberg, center, waits to board the Madleen boat, before setting sail for Gaza along with activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departing from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025. Salvatore Cavalli/AP hide caption
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Salvatore Cavalli/AP
AMMAN, Jordan — Israeli forces seized a ship carrying aid for Gaza early Monday in international waters, detaining prominent climate change activist Greta Thunberg and other protesters.
The British-flagged ship, the Madleen, set sail from Italy a week ago to protest Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid. The voyage was organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and included activists from Sweden, France, Brazil and other countries.
Israeli forces said they took command of the vessel at sea, detaining Swedish climate activist Thunberg and the rest of the crew. Video from the vessel showed the unarmed crew and passengers wearing life jackets and raising their hands as the ship was boarded.
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“If you see this video we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters,” Thunberg said in a pre-recorded video, calling for pressure on the Swedish government to help secure their release.
Israel said it would return those detained to their home countries. The vessel was carrying what the activists said was a symbolic amount of food for Gaza. In postings on X, the country’s Foreign Ministry showed videos of Thunberg and the other activists, and said they would arrive in Israel later Monday.
Israel banned all international aid from reaching Gaza for two months amid increasing malnutrition and recently implemented its own system of limited deliveries under armed guard.
Drones off the coast of Malta attacked a ship sent by the flotilla coalition in May, damaging the vessel. No one claimed responsibility but the group blamed Israel. Nine activists were killed when Israeli forces stormed a flotilla trying to break the blockade of Gaza in 2010. Israel has not commented on this incident.
