12-person crew detained by Israeli Army: Noga Tarnopolsky has more

Also an update on the current aid situation

"This Is No Longer a Humanitarian Crisis—It’s a Collapse of Humanity!"

Mainstream media finally calls out Gaza 'genocide'

The Grayzone's Max Blumenthal and Aaron Mate on what's really behind the Washington Post publishing a single op-ed describing Israel's assault on Gaza as a "genocide."

Despite having visited Gaza several times since the war started in October 2023, James Elder’s past experience did not prepare him for what he witnessed last week. He was met by a bleak wasteland of rubble, filled with hungry young civilians gesturing at their mouths with their empty hands, and the screams of wounded children in hospitals. “I’ve never experienced anything like it,” he said. “Every time you turn around there is another horrendous case of a trauma wound on a child. You see one child, then you’re taken into another room and there’s a girl with a double amputation, and so on. Such is the lack of painkillers that it’s just screaming, this constant blood-curdling scream of children.”

Tunisian aid convoy heads to Gaza to ‘break’ Israeli blockade

Hundreds of people, mainly Tunisians, have a large land convoy bound for the coastal enclave to “break the siege” on the Palestinian territory.

Organisers said the nine-bus convoy isn’t bringing aid into Gaza, but rather aimed at carrying out a “symbolic act” by breaking the blockade on the territory described by the United Nations as “the hungriest place on Earth“.

The “Soumoud” convoy, meaning “steadfastness” in Arabic, includes doctors and aims to arrive in Rafah, in southern Gaza, “by the end of the week”, said activist Jawaher Channa.

It is set to pass through Libya and Egypt, although Cairo has yet to provide passage permits, she said.

“We are about 1,000 people and we will have more join us along the way,” said Channa, spokeswoman for the Tunisian Coordination of Joint Action for Palestine.

‘I was hoping for a miracle’: Madleen Kulab reacts to Israel’s seizure

Over the past week, Madleen Kulab – the young woman after whom the ship was named – followed with hope and anxiety as the vessel made its way towards the shores of Gaza in a daring attempt to break the Israeli blockade.

Throughout the journey, Kulab remained in close contact with the organisers and supporters behind the mission, waiting anxiously for the ship’s arrival. But her guarded optimism gave way to heartbreak when she awoke to the news that Israeli commandos intercepted the ship and detained 12 activists on board.

“I was deeply disheartened,” Kulab told Al Jazeera. “I strongly anticipated this scenario, but I was truly hoping for a miracle that somehow the ship would break the blockade and reach Gaza.”

The night before, Kulab was on a live video call with Rima Hassan, one of the activists aboard the seized ship. “Her words really moved me, the way she’s devoted her life to the Palestinian cause, how her greatest dream is to visit Gaza. And yet, that simple dream has been made impossible by Israel.”

For Kulab, the interception was not just a political act, it was personal. Living under siege, she knows the weight of isolation all too well.

“We live in a place completely sealed off from the world. Every previous attempt by ships or flotillas to break the blockade has been met with military intervention. This has been going on for 15 years before the current war. So imagine the situation now with the war still raging.”

Palestinian child dies of malnutrition in southern Gaza

A Palestinian child has died of malnutrition at the Children’s and Maternity Hospital in Khan Younis, a medical source in Nasser Medical Complex tells Al Jazeera.

Starvation is getting worse in northern Gaza where 31 percent of children under the age of 2 are suffering from acute malnutrition, a percentage that has doubled since January.

‘Total chaos’: Israeli forces again massacre hungry Palestinians seeking food

Every day since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution points have opened, Palestinians have gathered in large crowds waiting to collect what little food there is.

As they approach, the Israeli army starts opening fire, Israeli quadcopters hover above their heads, and Israeli tanks proceed to bear down on the aid seekers.

The toll rose to 14 Palestinians killed today at these distribution sites, among them a woman named Hanan who was solely responsible for feeding her kids and family.

The shootings occurred at the Rafah distribution point near al-Mawasi, but also in central Gaza, where 31 Palestinians were wounded. Most victims sustained gunfire in the upper parts of the body – the chest, the neck, the head.

These distribution sites are in the middle of nowhere, where Israeli bulldozers destroyed residential homes. It’s totally chaotic. Israeli forces have been firing live ammunition as well as tear gas canisters to disperse starving Palestinians.

Palestinians say Israel and its allies fired on crowd near Gaza aid site. Hospital says 6 killed



https://www.burnabynow.com/world-news/palestinians-say-israel-and-its-allies-fired-on-crowd-near-gaza-aid-site-hospital-says-6-killed-10780171

Palestinians say Israeli forces and allied local gunmen fired toward a crowd heading to an Israeli- and U.S.-supported food distribution center in the Gaza Strip early Monday. Gaza's Health Ministry said six people were killed.

The gunmen appeared to be allied with the Israeli military, operating in close proximity to troops and retreating into an Israeli military zone in the southern city of Rafah after the crowd hurled stones at them, witnesses said.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel recently acknowledged supporting local armed groups opposed to Hamas.

...

Israeli forces raid towns near Tulkarem, detain Palestinians

Israel’s army has carried out incursions on several villages in the Sha’rawiya area north of Tulkarem, in the occupied West Bank, detaining two young men.

Citing local sources, Wafa news agency said Israeli military vehicles stormed the towns of Baqa al-Sharqiya, Attil, Allar, and Seida, setting up checkpoints, blocking main roads, and halting the movement of vehicles and residents.

Troops stopped and interrogated young men, checked identification cards, and subjected some to physical abuse and temporary detentions. Several shops were also raided and searched by Israeli soldiers.

In a separate incident, Wafa said two men – Rami Ragheb Hamad and Omar Mousa Salman – were detained near the main entrance of Ramin, a town east of Tulkarem.

Israeli forces also raided Anabta, another town east of Tulkarem, patrolled its main streets, and were later seen moving towards Nur Shams refugee camp.

Israeli forces have launched a major incursion into Nur Shams and other areas across the northern West Bank, deploying ground troops and armoured vehicles.

Israel demolishes homes in occupied West Bank

Israeli forces have resumed demolishing homes in the Tulkarem refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Thousands of Palestinians have been displaced since the Israeli army began raiding the camp in January.

Many residents now fear they’ll never be able to rebuild their homes, even if the Israeli forces withdraw.

Israeli strike blows up vehicle in Lebanon despite Hezbollah truce

An Israeli drone has launched two missiles at a car travelling on a road on the outskirts of al-Numairieh town in southern Lebanon. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the targeted vehicle was blown off the road by the force of the explosions and caught fire.

Israel has been carrying out near-daily air strikes across southern Lebanon, often resulting in casualties, despite a ceasefire agreed with Hezbollah in November.

New Israeli drone attack on southern Gaza ‘safe zone’ and hospital

An unspecified number of Palestinians have been wounded in an Israeli drone attack on a tent housing displaced people in the al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis.

The Nasser Hospital complex, also in Khan Younis, was damaged as a result of an Israeli air strike that targeted a nearby house, our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic report.

The displacement camp at al-Mawasi – repeatedly described as a “safe” area by Israel – is one of the most overcrowded regions in Gaza, devastated by 21 months of relentless bombardment.

Death toll in Gaza rises to 51 since dawn

Medical sources in hospitals across Gaza tell Al Jazeera at least 51 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since this morning. The death toll includes at least 14 Palestinians killed near the Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s aid centre in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza.

At least 120 people seeking food have now been killed by Israeli gunfire at the aid sites since they opened on May 27, according to Gaza authorities.

Israel using gangs to ‘engineer chaos’ at Gaza aid sites: Monitor

The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has accused Israel of recruiting local gangs and foreign mercenaries to deliberately sow chaos at aid distribution points in Gaza.

In a new report, the group said the armed groups are being deployed to intimidate civilians, loot aid, and discredit Palestinian governance under the guise of internal collapse.

It warned this tactic aims to shift blame away from Israel’s crippling blockade and bombardment, and instead present Palestinians as incapable of managing humanitarian aid.

The organisation called for urgent international oversight of aid operations and an investigation into the systematic use of violence against civilians at relief sites.

_{An Israeli soldier in Khan Younis, southern Gaza}

Gaza’s Civil Defence agency rejects Israeli ‘smear campaign’

Gaza’s emergency service has condemned Israel for targeting its humanitarian mission and specifically spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal.

“We categorically reject the Israeli incitement against the Civil Defence and its spokesperson, and we warn of the dangerous objectives behind it,” a statement said.

The agency said the Israeli army began sending messages to international media outlets accusing Bassal of ties to Palestinian armed groups and urging them to disregard his press statements about rescue efforts in Gaza.

It described the move as a deliberate effort to undermine the agency’s credibility and silence reporting on the humanitarian disaster in the war-battered territory.

The rescue agency stressed it’s an independent, nonpolitical humanitarian body and accused Israel of trying to distract attention from its war crimes. It called on international organisations and press freedom advocates to reject Israeli propaganda.

_{A rescue worker looks for survivors in Khan Younis after an Israeli attack}

Hamas calls for probe into Israeli aid centre ‘crimes’

The Palestinian group has called for an independent international investigation into “systematic Israeli crimes” in Gaza, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders must be prosecuted.

In a statement, Hamas demanded an end to “suspicious military-run aid distribution centres” and called for the UN to be the sole “legitimate and neutral channels” for delivering humanitarian relief.

The UN Security Council and the international community must take urgent action to “stop the genocide and lift the siege” on Gaza, where famine looms, it said.

The statement comes as Israeli forces continue to open fire and kill hungry Palestinians while they try to collect food from the Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s distribution centres.

UN: Gaza families hanging by a thread as ‘children go to bed hungry’

The United Nations has issued a stark warning about the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying families are “hanging on by a thread” as “children go to bed hungry” each night.

In a post on X, the UN added “the aid reaching Gaza remains critically insufficient”.

“The unimpeded entry of assistance at scale to meet the enormous needs must be restored immediately,” it said.

The warning comes just weeks after the release of the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, which found Gaza’s entire population is facing a critical risk of famine.

‘We are left to face our pain in silence’

Madleen Kulab’s grief extends beyond the failed voyage of the aid ship named after her. It reflects the wider pain inflicted on Palestinians in Gaza – a suffering she says feels endless.

“This ship’s story mirrors my own, and the story of every tired, worn-out person in Gaza,” she told Al Jazeera. “We are just a media wave. It rises sharply then fades just as fast, and we are left to face our pain in silence.”

Now, with Madleen ship intercepted and its crew detained by Israel, Kulab said she has no wishes left except for the crew’s safety and eventual return home.

“Their noble message was delivered. The message of humanity reached the world. But I no longer have the words to appeal to anyone to act.”

Her voice grows heavier as she speaks of the daily toll of life in Gaza.

“I am drowning in suffering amid war and starvation. Me, my family, and everyone here. Day by day, my hatred for everything around me grows. My hatred for life itself grows stronger with each passing day.”

Freedom Flotillas: A history of attempts to break Israel’s siege of Gaza

Several Freedom Flotilla vessels have attempted to break the blockade of Gaza.

In 2008, two boats from the Free Gaza Movement successfully reached Gaza, marking the first break of Israel’s naval blockade.

The movement, founded in 2006 by activists during Israel’s war on Lebanon, went on to launch 31 boats between 2008 and 2016, five of which reached Gaza despite heavy Israeli restrictions.

Since 2010, all flotillas attempting to break the Gaza blockade have been intercepted or attacked by Israel in international waters.

_{Israeli forces prepare to attack the Mavi Marmara in 2010}

UK MP Jeremy Corbyn condemns Israeli capture of Gaza aid ship

Former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has condemned Israel’s seizure of the Madleen aid ship in international waters.

The now-independent parliamentarian told Al Jazeera: “The Madleen sailed to Gaza with one intention: to save the lives of Palestinians being starved to death by Israel.”

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition‘s boat, a UK-flagged civilian vessel, was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza when it was intercepted by Israeli commandos. Under international maritime law, civilian ships in international waters are protected from interference.

“Its interception is just as illegal as the siege it was trying to break. The flotilla was not just carrying life-saving aid. It was carrying solidarity, hope and our shared humanity,” Corbyn said.

“The brave individuals on board have inspired us to carry on campaigning for an end to all arms sales [to Israel], for sanctions and for an end to the occupation of Palestine.”

Seized Gaza aid ship arrives in Israel

The Israeli navy towed the Madleen aid vessel into the port of Ashdod as night fell on Monday.

Afterwards, the activists were expected to be held at a detention facility in the Israeli city of Ramle before being deported, according to Adalah, a legal rights group representing the activists.

Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, is among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies towards the Palestinians.

First video of the Madleen aid boat near the Ashdod port after the Israeli army took over the boat pic.twitter.com/pJY8KXcl0x

— Oren Ziv (@OrenZiv_) June 9, 2025

Madleen crew to be detained in isolation, then deported from Israel

It has taken many, many long hours. The Israeli navy took over the flotilla just after midnight and the docking of the boat only happened around sundown.

We know already that the Israeli government intends to deport the 12 activists. Among them is the famous Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, but also a French European parliamentarian who is of Palestinian descent.

The Israeli minister of national security intends to keep them detained in isolation as they are processed and deported from the country

Adalah, a prominent Palestinian-Israeli human rights and civil rights organisation, will be representing them.

The activists will be charged with entering Israel illegally. These activists had no intention to enter Israel, they wanted to reach the shores of Gaza – which are not part of Israel, they are apart of the occupied Palestinian territories.

But that is how they will be processed and they will be deported because of that.

They were kidnapped in international waters off the coast of Egypt...

Activists’ legal adviser describes what’s next for seized Madleen crew

Suhad Bishara, legal director at Adalah, a Palestinian-run legal centre in Israel representing the seized activists, says the 12 detainees have been unable to make contact yet with the outside world.

She explained the likely scenario over the coming hours, noting Israel’s “preventing the entry of humanitarian supplies is illegal under international law”.

“As with foreigners on flotillas in the past who were detained under these same conditions, they were never charged in Israel. However, deportation orders were issued for most cases for 10 years,” Bishara said.

“We are insisting to see them tonight immediately upon their arrival at the detention centre to give them consultation on what are the next steps. I would expect they’ll be deported within 24 to 48 hours to their homes,” she told Al Jazeera.

Flotilla activists incommunicado for 19 hours after Israeli capture

Freedom Flotilla organisers say there has been no contact with the 12 international activists detained by Israeli forces since nearly 19 hours ago.

“We have lawyers on standby who are going to demand they have access to them tonight – as soon as possible,” said Huwaida Arraf, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement and a Freedom Flotilla organiser.

The Madleen vessel was carrying humanitarian aid for blockaded Gaza and sailing under a United Kingdom flag when it was forcibly seized by Israeli commandos early this morning.

“These citizens were sailing peacefully under international law, in international waters, and Israel went and forcibly abducted them,” Arraf told Al Jazeera. “This was done, as Israel puts it, to ‘maintain a maritime closure of Gaza’ – which it has no authority to do.”

Arraf also criticised the UK government for failing to issue a strong condemnation of the seizure, noting the Madleen is UK-flagged.

She urged states to hold Israel accountable for what she described as an unlawful act in breach of maritime and humanitarian law. The 12 activists remain in Israeli custody and are expected to be deported from the country.


_{People protest in central London demanding that the United Kingdom’s government protect the Madleen crew}

Hundreds flood streets of London to demand UK action to save members of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla

Meanwhile:

David Cameron threatened to defund ICC for arrest warrant against Netanyahu?

In an extraordinary revelation, the Middle East Eye news website has reported that former Foreign Secretary David Cameron had warned ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan that the UK would withdraw from and defund the International Criminal Court if an arrest warrant was issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rifat Jawaid explains the significance of this explosive revelation as he looks at Cameron’s utterances in the House of Lord’s a day after Karim Khan filed an application for arrest warrants.