Israeli forces have intercepted a Gaza-bound aid boat carrying climate activist Greta Thunberg, detaining the international passengers in a high-profile standoff over the maritime blockade on the Gaza Strip.

The 59-foot British-flagged sailboat, Madleen, was halted early Monday by Israeli naval forces while en route to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. The boat, organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, carried supplies including baby formula, flour, and medical items, as well as prominent passengers like Swedish climate advocate Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan.

According to Israel’s foreign ministry, the ship was safely diverted to Israeli shores, with plans to repatriate the detained passengers. A video released by the ministry showed Israeli personnel distributing sandwiches and water onboard.

Accusations of Interception in International Waters

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition stated that the vessel was intercepted just after 3 a.m. in international waters north of Egypt’s Port Said, near the Suez Canal. Footage released by the activists shows passengers throwing their phones overboard and raising their hands after the ship was allegedly sprayed with an unidentified white substance.

While the Israeli military deferred to the foreign ministry for comment, the official stance was that the action was legal under a naval blockade recognized under international law.

Political Protest Framed as Humanitarian Mission

Thunberg, who has increasingly engaged in pro-Palestinian advocacy, described the mission as fulfilling a moral obligation to Palestinians under siege. “We are doing this because we have to keep our promise to the Palestinians,” she said during the boat’s departure from Sicily earlier this month.

Though the aid cargo was modest in scale, organizers emphasized the voyage as a symbolic and political move to challenge Israel’s blockade and promote the opening of a maritime corridor for aid.

Historical Echoes of 2010 Flotilla Tragedy

The incident recalls the deadly 2010 flotilla raid in which Israeli commandos killed 10 Turkish activists aboard a similar aid mission to Gaza. That episode severely damaged Türkiye-Israel ties, prompting an apology from Prime Minister Netanyahu and $20 million in compensation from Israel.

This latest voyage was coordinated by the same coalition—comprising the Free Gaza Movement, European Campaign to End the Siege, and Turkish NGO IHH, which has links to Türkiye’s ruling party.

Gaza’s Deepening Humanitarian Crisis

The interception comes amid mounting global concern over Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. After a year and a half of war, nearly 500,000 people are now facing famine conditions, according to a recent UN-backed report. Despite some aid trickling into the territory, international pressure continues to grow for an unrestricted humanitarian corridor.