Iran (IMNA) - The ship, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and carrying urgent supplies such as baby formula, flour, rice, desalination kits, medical aid, and children’s prosthetics, departed from Sicily last week.
Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, aboard the Madleen, reported on social media that Israeli naval vessels surrounded the ship and attacked it, including the release of a white paint-like substance that disrupted communications and affected crew members’ vision. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced on Telegram that Israeli forces had boarded the vessel and taken the passengers, describing the incident as an assault in international waters.
Among the 12 international activists detained are climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, actor Liam Cunningham, and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament of Palestinian descent. Rima Hassan shared images of sirens sounding on the ship and later confirmed the crew’s arrest by Israeli forces in international waters.
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Palestine Francesca Albanese confirmed that five Israeli speedboats reached the Madleen and that the crew had informed Israeli forces about the humanitarian nature of their mission, but communication was lost as additional boats approached.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz had explicitly vowed to prevent the ship from reaching Gaza, accusing the activists of being “Hamas propagandists” and ordering the military to act “by land, sea, and air” to stop the vessel. The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated the blockade is legal and necessary to prevent arms smuggling and urged humanitarian aid to be delivered through established channels, condemning unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade as dangerous and illegal.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned Israel’s interception of the Madleen as an act of piracy and state terrorism, calling for the immediate release of the ship’s crew and praising the activists for their humanitarian efforts.
This incident follows previous attacks on Freedom Flotilla vessels, including a drone strike on another aid ship, the Conscience, in international waters off Malta earlier this month. UN agencies and aid groups have warned of a looming famine in Gaza due to the blockade, ongoing conflict, and severe restrictions on aid delivery to the territory’s two million residents.
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