The Madleen departed from Italy on June 1, aiming to bring awareness to food shortages in Gaza, which the United Nations has called the "hungriest place on Earth"
An image grab from footage published on the Israeli Foreign Ministry's X account on June 9, 2025 show what the ministry said were passengers of the Madleen Gaza-bound aid boat being given sandwiches after the vessel was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters and redirected to Israel's shores, preventing the activists onboard, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg and European parliament member Rima Hassan, from reaching the blockaded Palestinian territory.
Image: Israeli Foreign Ministry / AFP
Israel intercepted a Gaza-bound aid boat on Monday morning, preventing the activists onboard, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, from reaching the blockaded Palestinian territory.
The Madleen departed from Italy on June 1 aiming to bring awareness to food shortages in Gaza, which the United Nations has called the "hungriest place on Earth". After 21 months of war, the UN has warned the territory's entire population is at risk of famine.
AFP lost contact with the Madleen early Monday morning.
At around 3:02 am CET (0102 GMT), Israeli forces "forcibly intercepted" the vessel in international waters as it was approaching Gaza, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said in a statement.
"If you see this video we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters," Thunberg said in a pre-recorded video shared by the coalition.