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.
Source: Al Jazeera
Who are the activists Israel detained from the Madleen?
Here’s a reminder of the people on board the Madleen, who have been taken from international waters by Israeli commandos.
They are being taken to the port of Ashdod by Israeli authorities.
- Baptiste Andre: A French activist and doctor who is expected to assist passengers or demonstrators injured in possible confrontations with Israeli forces
- Greta Thunberg: Swedish climate activist, 22, who became internationally renowned for her environmental advocacy.
- Marco van Rennes: Activist and member of the Dutch Boat to Gaza.
- Omar Faiad: The Al Jazeera Mubasher journalist has asthma and uses an inhaler and medications that he absolutely has to have with him every day, according to his wife, Dina.
- Pascal Maurieras: A French activist and sailor who was on board the Freedom ship, a previous Freedom Flotilla voyage, in 2018. He was detained and interrogated by Israel then.
- Reva Viard: A French activist known for her involvement in various humanitarian causes.
- Rima Hassan: A French Palestinian Member of the European Parliament representing the Green Party.
- Sergio Toribio: The Spanish activist and member of the Spanish Boat to Gaza is also a member of the marine conservation NGO Sea Shepherd.
- Suayb Ordu: The Turkish activist has been married to Sümmeyra Mittelmeer since 2017. They have been involved in volunteer projects supporting Palestine for years.
- Thiago Avila: The Brazilian activist is the father of a six-month-old daughter and coordinator of Freedom Flotilla Brazil as well as a member of the Steering Committee of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
- Yanis Mhamdi: A French journalist from the platform “Blast”.
- Yasemin Acar: The 37-year-old activist from Germany has been an activist since the age of 15, advocating for refugees and human rights, and against anti-Muslim racism. She was born in Germany to Kurdish parents from Turkiye.
Source: Al Jazeera
