Israeli commandos intercepted a Gaza-bound yacht carrying climate activist Greta Thunberg and 11 other activists in international waters overnight, Israel's defence minister confirmed. The vessel, named Madleen, was boarded by Shayetet 13, the IDF's elite naval commando unit, after being shadowed by speedboats and drones. The crew will be taken to the Israeli Port of Ashdod.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said the activists would be forced to watch a 43-minute video of the Hamas-led October 7 attack on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages. Katz described the footage as showing 'atrocities committed against women, the elderly and children'. The video, according to the Times of Israel, contains uncensored scenes of massacres and mutilated bodies.
Israel's foreign ministry derided the vessel as a 'selfie yacht' carrying 'celebrity' activists, stating that any aid onboard would be transferred to Gaza through 'real humanitarian channels'. The ministry shared a photo of the activists in orange life jackets receiving water and sandwiches. Katz reiterated that the naval blockade, in place since before the war, is necessary to prevent Palestinian militants from importing weapons.
The Madleen departed from Italy on June 1, aiming to raise awareness of food shortages in Gaza, which the UN has called the 'hungriest place on Earth'. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) said the vessel was 'forcibly intercepted' at 3.02am local time on Monday. In a pre-recorded video, Thunberg stated, 'If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters.'
During the interception, activists reported that quadcopters sprayed a white paint-like substance onto the ship, communications were jammed, and disturbing sounds were played over the radio. Activist Yasmin Acar shared video showing the substance on the deck, which affected her eyes. The nature of the substance remains unclear.
The interception has drawn criticism from UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who urged the British government to seek clarification and secure the immediate release of the vessel and crew. The FFC described the incident as an assault in international waters.
