Israeli forces have intercepted the charity yacht Madleen, which was attempting to reach the Gaza Strip in violation of an Israeli naval blockade, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC). The British-flagged vessel departed from Sicily on June 6 and aimed to deliver a symbolic shipment of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Onboard are notable figures such as Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament.
Before the interception, the Israeli Navy used a loudspeaker to warn the Madleen that the maritime zone off Gaza’s coast was closed to naval traffic as part of a legal blockade. The military offered an alternative route for delivering humanitarian aid through the port of Ashdod instead. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had directed the military to prevent the yacht’s arrival, labeling the mission as a propaganda effort supporting Hamas.
The blockade, imposed in 2007 after Hamas took control of Gaza, has been maintained throughout various conflicts, including the ongoing war that escalated after a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli deaths. In response, Gaza’s health ministry reports that more than 54,000 Palestinians have died since the onset of Israel’s military operations in the area. The United Nations has also warned that the situation is dire, with much of Gaza’s population of over 2 million facing famine. The FFC continues to advocate for humanitarian aid access despite the blockade’s restrictions, emphasizing the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
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