Early Monday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) intercepted a vessel attempting to breach a maritime security zone off Gaza’s coast.
The boat, dubbed the Madleen, was carrying a group of self-described “activists” — including Swedish climate celebrity Greta Thunberg and European Parliament member Rima Hassa.
Israel had warned in advance it would block unauthorized vessels, especially those seen as engaging in political spectacle under the guise of humanitarian aid.
The so-called flotilla was organized to “raise awareness.”
However, the IDF reported that the boat carried less aid than a single delivery truck.
Much of the food on board had also already been consumed by the passengers, the IDF revealed.
“The show is over,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry stated bluntly, calling it what many saw it as: a PR stunt, not a serious relief mission.
The Israeli Navy released video footage showing an officer calmly informing the boat’s crew that the waters off Hamas-controlled Gaza are closed for security reasons.
Any legitimate aid must go through approved humanitarian channels, Thunberg and her friends were told.
All passengers were detained without incident, provided food and water, and rerouted to an Israeli port. According to officials, the activists were “safe and unharmed.”
Notably,