The Israeli army seizes the aid ship "Madelin" heading to Gaza and detains its passengers.
June 9, 20251 ViewsRead Time: 2 minutes
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In a new development, the "Freedom Flotilla" alliance announced today, Monday, that the Israeli army has taken control of the aid ship "Madelaine" while sailing towards Gaza, detaining the passengers, including 12 activists, among them Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham. The alliance reported that the ship was attacked in international waters, as drones approached and sprayed the ship with irritating white substance, along with disturbing sounds broadcasted through the radio on board before complete communication was cut off when the Israeli army stormed it. Israeli media confirmed the start of the control operation and the arrest of activists for deportation, as the Israeli navy is currently towing the ship towards the port of Ashdod in the Mediterranean Sea. Channel 12 confirmed that the operation was carried out without any injuries. An Israeli security official mentioned that the seizure of the ship was done in a "non-violent" manner with preparations from the naval commando unit "Shayetet 13," which trained for such operations to prevent ships from reaching Gaza. Prior to the incident, the ship witnessed attempts of unknown boats approaching, and its passengers heard warning sirens from Israeli warships approaching, while Brazilian activist Thiago Avila mentioned the presence of surrounding lights around the boat that later moved away. This escalation comes amid the ongoing blockade on Gaza, as the ship was approaching the sector's territorial waters, amidst warnings from the International Committee to Break the Siege, which confirmed serious Israeli interference with the ship and considered any attack on it a "war crime." It is worth noting that another ship belonging to the committee was previously attacked by an Israeli drone in May, causing significant damage. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed its intention to deport the detained activists out of the country, while international debate continues regarding the blockade and humanitarian efforts to break the siege on Gaza.