Greta Thunberg and other activists are on the Madleen, a British-flagged boat operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, and had hoped to provide Palestinians humanitarian aid
This is the harrowing moment Greta Thunberg begs for help as she says she and other activists “have been intercepted and kidnapped” in international waters.
The campaigner joined 12 other activists on the Madleen, a British-flagged boat operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, in a bid to provide Palestinians humanitarian aid. However, communication was lost when Israeli commandos intercepted it in the Mediterranean Sea.
And Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed authorities took the vessel to the port of Ashdod, a city in the south of the country. It branded the vessel a “selfie yacht”. It added: “It is a media gimmick for publicity (which includes less than a single truckload of aid) – a ‘selfie yacht’.”
READ MORE: Madleen aid boat LIVE: Greta Thunberg says she’s been ‘intercepted and kidnapped’
But Greta, 22, had said, in a video shared on X amid reports of the trouble, she and her friends needed urgent help. The Swedish woman said in full: “My name is Greta Thunberg, and I am from Sweden. If you see this video, we are being intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel.
“I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible.”
It is understood the video was recorded before this morning’s events in preparation for such hostilities. When they came about, the activists were told not to use their phones and allegedly had “a white chemical” hurled at them. Some activists said their “eyes were burning” amid the incident, believed to have happened in the Mediterranean Sea.
But the vessel was taken by Israeli authorities to Ashdod at around 4.30am local time. At which point, a spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “With recent reports of a ‘celebrities yacht’ heading to Gaza, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to clarify the following:
“The maritime zone off the coast of Gaza is closed to unauthorised vessels under a legal naval blockade, consistent with international law. The yacht is claiming that it is delivering humanitarian aid. In fact, it is a media gimmick for publicity (which includes less than a single truckload of aid) – a ‘selfie yacht’.
“Humanitarian aid is delivered regularly and effectively via different channels and routes, and is transferred through established distribution mechanisms. Over the past two weeks, more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza.
“The Gaza maritime zone remains an active conflict area, and Hamas has previously exploited sea routes for terrorist attacks, including the October 7th massacre. Unauthorised attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts. We call on all actors to act responsibly and to channel humanitarian aid through legitimate, coordinated mechanisms, not through provocation.”