Swedish eco-activist Greta Thunberg, who was travelling on the Madleen to the Gaza Strip as part of a humanitarian mission, accused the Israeli authorities of kidnapping her, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said on its Telegram channel, publishing a video message from the eco-activist on Monday.
On the same day, the Israeli Foreign Ministry press service reported that all persons on board the Madlen would be sent to their home countries. According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Thunberg was trying to stage a provocation to attract public attention. The press service added that there was allegedly “less than one truck of aid” on board the ship, while at least 1,200 such vehicles had been sent from Israel to Gaza over the past two weeks.
Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament (EP) aboard the sailing ship Madleen of the Freedom Flotilla coalition, which set sail to break the blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the region, called on President Emmanuel Macron to help ensure the safe arrival of the ship in Gaza on Sunday.
Hassan tagged Macron’s official accounts and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in her post on X, requesting assistance a few hours before their arrival in Gaza.
“We urge you to open a maritime corridor to deliver the humanitarian aid on board,” she said.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to prevent the ship from reaching Gaza.
The Israeli navy is preparing to intercept the humanitarian ship as it approaches Gaza waters and plans to forcibly redirect it to the port of Ashdod.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of France Unbowed (LFI), supported the ship and the participants of the humanitarian mission by writing on X:
“The ship has been attacked. Strength and courage to the crew fighting for freedom and honour in the face of genocide. Shame on those who look the other way! Netanyahu and his accomplices will answer for us!”
He also added:
“President Macron, you came four years after the rebellious ones to deal with ocean issues. Don’t be so late in ensuring compliance with international law at sea. Netanyahu and Israel Katz have no right to threaten or arrest a small ship carrying French parliamentarian Rima Hassan. A blockade is a means of genocide. You must protect the ship from the blockade.”
Attack on Mavi Marmara
Israel had previously refused to allow ships carrying aid for Gaza residents to pass. On May 31, 2010, Israeli special forces attacked a flotilla of six ships heading for the coast of the Gaza Strip.
The humanitarian cargo, which included medical supplies, cement, iron, toys, playground equipment and school supplies, was loaded onto three ships: Defne Y, Gaza 1 and Mavi Marmara, which departed from Istanbul on May 22, 2010.
The Mavi Marmara entered the Mediterranean Sea at 00:30 on May 28, 2010, having taken on board in Antalya 560 passengers from 32 countries, including human rights activists and 50 journalists, 34 of who were foreign nationals.
In neutral waters 30 miles south of Cyprus, the Mavi Marmara joined five other ships bound for Palestine.
The ships, carrying humanitarian supplies, headed for Gaza on May 30, 2010.
On May 30-31, the Mavi Marmara crew began receiving threats from the Israeli side, after which the ship was attacked by Israeli military vessels and a landing party was deployed.
First, unarmed civilians on board the Mavi Marmara were pelted with smoke bombs and stun grenades, and then fired upon with lethal force. Nine Turkish volunteers were killed in the armed attack by Israeli special forces, and more than 50 people were wounded. Subsequently, a tenth Turkish citizen, Ugur Suleyman Soylemez, who had been in a vegetative state for four years, died from a bullet wound to the head.
