Israeli MFA says Madleen being taken to Israel’s Ashdod port
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Israeli authorities intercepted the Madleen.
“The ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the shores of Israel,” the ministry said in a post on X.
The post accused “Greta and others” of attempting “to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity”. The post also claimed that sufficient aid has reached Gaza in the past two weeks.
However, Israeli forces have repeatedly fired on Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza after allowing some food to return to the Strip following its longest-ever total blockade. Dozens of people have been killed while trying to reach aid distribution sites, including at least 13 Palestinians on Sunday alone.
Israel does not have authority over Gaza
A video obtained by Al Jazeera shows a uniformed officer telling the people on board the Madleen that there are other means of delivering aid, before the ship was intercepted.
“If you wish to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, you’re able to do so through the port of Ashdod,” the uniformed officer says. “We have established channels and distribution centres.”
However, UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese told Al Jazeera this is not accurate.
“Israel has no authority over Gaza. This is the thing. Israel needs to end the siege.”
“The people of Gaza need to be helped.”
US Muslim group says Israeli attack on Madleen a ‘blatant act’ of piracy
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned Israel seizing the Freedom Flotilla ship and its crew.
“We strongly condemn the cowardly and illegal Israeli attack on the Madleen’s as it approached Gaza with desperately-need humanitarian supplies,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.
“This is a blatant act of international piracy and state terrorism,” he said.
“The Israeli occupation has no legal right to blockade the Gaza coast, much less to drop chemical weapons on humanitarian aid boats and abduct their passengers in international waters,” Awad added.
Awad called on the Israeli government to immediately release the ship’s crew.
“We applaud Greta Thunberg and the other activists of the Madleen who bravely risked their safety and freedom to help the starving people of Gaza,” he said.
"We strongly condemn the cowardly and illegal Israeli attack on the Madleen's as it approached Gaza with desperately-need humanitarian supplies. This is a blatant act of international piracy and state terrorism." @NihadAwad
READ: https://t.co/nWvdxAuqtl https://t.co/3tSOQVAAK5
— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) June 9, 2025
‘If you’re watching this, I’ve been kidnapped… we count on you’: Thiago Avila
Brazilian activist Thiago Avila also posted a video he recorded in case of the Madleen being intercepted.
