Israeli Threat to Aid Ship “Madleen” Headed to Gaza: “Turn Back”
The Madleen, an 18-meter sailboat organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, set sail from San Giovanni Li Cuti Port in Catania, Italy, on June 1, aiming to break Israel’s naval blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Onboard are 12 international activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham.
The vessel is carrying critical humanitarian supplies such as baby formula, flour, rice, medical supplies, children’s prosthetics, water purification kits, diapers, and women’s hygiene products—items in desperate need due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
As the boat moves through Egyptian waters near Alexandria, and is expected to reach Mansoura soon, tensions have heightened. Israel has issued a direct threat, with Defense Minister Yisrael Katz ordering the military to stop the ship “by any means necessary.” He declared the passengers as “anti-Semitic” and accused them of being “Hamas propaganda agents.”
According to Israeli media (Channel 12), the Israeli Navy is preparing to intercept the boat and tow it to Ashdod, a port in central Israel. Simultaneously, the ship’s organizers have reported Israeli attempts to jam the boat’s location signals and disrupt communications. Activists onboard, including Yasemin Acar, confirmed that communications had already started breaking down. “If you don’t hear from us, it means we’ve lost contact,” she said.
Hüseyin Şuayb, a Turkish activist on the boat, stated they were determined to reach Gaza and are only hours away, barring interference.
Hamas warned Israel that it would be responsible for the safety of all the activists. Hamas political leader Basim Naim praised the volunteers and stressed that threats would not stop people around the world from showing solidarity with Gaza.
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese commented that Madleen carried not just aid, but a message of “humanity for all of us”, urging Israel to avoid endangering the activists.
This mission follows a previous incident in May, when another Freedom Flotilla ship, the Conscience, was reportedly attacked by drones near Malta.
The coming hours are considered critical, with international observers closely watching how Israel will act as the Madleen nears Gaza.
