The Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s (FFC) Madleen aid ship set sail from Italy’s Sicily on June 1, carrying humanitarian aid, including baby formula, flour, rice, medical supplies, water desalination kits, crutches, and children’s prosthetics.
Late Sunday, Israeli forces seized the Gaza-bound aid ship Madleen.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said Israeli soldiers had “kidnapped” the activists who were aboard the Madleen.
Earlier, Israeli naval forces boarded the Madleen in international waters, according to the coalition, which also said communication with the vessel had been lost.
Live footage previously showed Israeli boats surrounding the ship, with soldiers ordering the activists on board to raise their hands.
Who is on board?
A total of 12 people were on board, including 11 activists and one journalist.
Among the crew aboard the aid ship are Suayb Ordu from Türkiye, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. Yasemin Acar from Germany; Baptiste Andre, Pascal Maurieras, Yanis Mhamdi, and Reva Viard from France; Thiago Avila from Brazil; Sergio Toribio from Spain; Marco van Rennes from the Netherlands; and Omar Faiad, a journalist also from France.
French-Palestinian Rima Hassan said sirens were triggered aboard the Madleen after drones sprayed the ship with a white liquid.
SOS
“SOS! The volunteers on 'Madleen' have been kidnapped by Israeli forces,” the FFC said on Telegram.
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who was in phone contact with the ship’s captain, said:
“At the time the boat was intercepted, no one was wounded — the captain asked me to record.”
She reported hearing Israeli soldiers speaking in the background before the line was cut off.
The aid ship was taken to Israel’s Ashdod port along with all activists.
The Madleen voyage followed an earlier FFC attempt on May 2, when a ship was attacked by drones in international waters off Malta by Israel.
The attack wounded four crew members, damaged the ship, and left it stranded.
