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Israeli forces early Monday detained an aid boat bound for Gaza while carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists.
The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed that it detained the Madleen, along with all its passengers, and diverted the vessel to Israel.
Activist Greta Thunberg, center, waits to board the Madleen boat, before setting sail for Gaza along with activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departing from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)
A video from the ministry posted on X shows an Israeli Navy officer engaging with the approaching “selfie yacht.”
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“Using an international civilian communication system, the Israeli Navy has instructed the ‘selfie yacht’ to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area,” a post from the ministry read.
The video shows a Navy officer telling them that the maritime of the Gaza coast is closed to traffic. She instructs the activists on board that they must deliver aid through established channels.
The Israel Foreign Ministry said the passengers were “safe and unharmed” and had been provided sandwiches and water.
“The show is over,” the ministry said.
Israel had vowed to stop the so-called Freedom Flotilla Coalition in the days leading up to its arrival.
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Thunberg, a 22-year-old climate activist from Sweden, set sail aboard the Madleen last week, hoisting a Palestinian flag with 11 other activists, including “Game of Thrones” actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassa, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg with other activists from a human rights organization meets with journalists in Catania, Italy on Sunday ahead of their departure for the Mideast. (AP)
The groups’ aim was to reach the shores of the Gaza Strip to bring in some aid and raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis there.
According to the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, the aid on the ship was less than a single truckload.
Activist Greta Thunberg stands near a Palestinian flag after boarding the Madleen boat and before setting sail for Gaza along with activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departing from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP)
“The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the ‘celebrities’ will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels,” the ministry said.
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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed the IDF to screen the footage of October 7 to participants of the Gaza-bound flotilla.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more.
