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Israeli naval forces intercepted the Gaza Freedom Flotilla vessel Madleen, carrying pro-Palestinian activists including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, early Monday morning, according to reports in The Jerusalem Post. The vessel, which set sail from Sicily's Catania port on June 1, was halted off the Gaza coast and redirected to the Port of Ashdod by the IDF's elite Shayetet 13 unit.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry described the intercepted vessel as a "selfie yacht," stating that its efforts were a media stunt rather than a meaningful humanitarian mission. "While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation... more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks," the ministry said in a statement cited by The Jerusalem Post. According to the flotilla's Telegram updates, passengers reported being surrounded by Israeli naval ships, attacked by drones spraying a white irritant, and experiencing communications jamming just before the interception. All individuals on board were said to be safe and provided with basic supplies during the takeover. Video statements had been pre-recorded by activists in anticipation of possible arrest or "kidnapping" by Israeli forces. Hamas, in a strongly worded statement on its Telegram channel, called the IDF's actions "state terrorism," accusing Israel of violating international law by blocking symbolic aid to Gaza. The group said the volunteers aboard Madleen were "motivated by humanitarian concerns," and condemned the Israeli military's operation as a "blatant violation" of international norms. Israel, meanwhile, maintained that the flotilla's entry into the restricted area off Gaza's shores was unlawful. "If you wish to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, you are able to do so through the Port of Ashdod via the established channels and distribution zones," an Israeli Navy soldier was heard telling the crew, according to The Jerusalem Post. Despite claims from flotilla organizers that the Madleen was a peaceful civilian mission, Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Israel Katz, had vowed to prevent the ship's arrival in Gaza. "Greta the antisemite and her friends, I say clearly: you'd better turn back - because you will not reach Gaza," Katz was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post. The IDF had been tracking the flotilla's movement closely, with sources telling the Post that final preparations to prevent its landing had been completed hours before the operation. (ANI)
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