Israeli Forces 'Kidnap' Gaza-Bound Humanitarian Aid Ship Crew

Israel detained the crew and passengers of the “Madleen” vessel, which was delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Among those seized were Greta Thunberg, “Game of Thrones” actor Liam Cunningham, and French MEP Rima Hassan.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which organized the mission, said Israel attacked the ship in international waters.

“Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white paint-like substance,” the FFC said via Telegram.

“Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio,” the group added.

Activist Yasmin Acar, livestreaming from the boat, showed a white substance covering the deck and reported eye irritation.

Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed the interception, saying the ship was “safely making its way to the shores of Israel.”

“The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,” the ministry added in a post on X.

A video released by the ministry showed detained passengers in life jackets, with Thunberg visible.

A separate FFC video showed crew members seated inside the ship with their hands raised.

After losing contact with the “Madleen,” the FFC shared pre-recorded video messages from those onboard.

“If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel,” Thunberg said.

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said he had instructed the military to stop the vessel from reaching Gaza.

Israel mocked the aid mission, calling the ship a “selfie yacht” and the passengers “celebrities.”

“There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies,” Israel’s foreign ministry claimed.

The ministry also called the aid attempt “dangerous, unlawful, and undermining humanitarian efforts.”

The FFC, however, argues that Israel’s 11-week total blockade on Gaza has turned conventional delivery routes into tools of starvation.

Hamas condemned the seizure, calling it “a flagrant violation of international law, and an attack on civilian volunteers acting out of humanitarian motives.”

The “Madleen” had departed from Sicily last Friday, tracked openly online as it moved slowly toward Gaza’s shores.

By Monday morning, the UK-flagged vessel was north of Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea before tracking data was lost.

“We know it’s a very risky mission… previous flotillas have resulted in attacks, violence and even cases of death,” Thunberg told CNN prior to the voyage.

In March, Israel enforced a complete blockade of Gaza, cutting off food, medicine, and aid for 11 weeks.

Though international pressure led Israel to permit minimal aid in late May, aid groups say it is nowhere near sufficient.

A UN-backed assessment warned in April that one in five Gazans faces starvation.

In recent days, dozens of Palestinians have been killed while attempting to access aid distributed by the new US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The UN has denounced the GHF system as a “death trap” for desperate civilians.

Last month, another ship from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the “Conscience,” was reportedly targeted by an Israeli drone near Malta.

While Israel declined to comment, the group accused Israeli forces of launching the unprovoked attack in international waters.

That ship was en route to Malta to collect activists, including Thunberg, before heading toward Gaza.

The “Madleen” became the next mission to face Israeli military aggression as it attempted to break the siege.