Overview

• On June 9, the Israeli navy intercepted the British-flagged aid yacht Madleen in international waters, detaining Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and 11 other campaigners en route from Sicily to Gaza.
• The Madleen carried a small shipment of relief items, including baby formula, flour, rice and medical supplies, intended to highlight Gaza’s acute shortages under the long-standing blockade.
• Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed that the detained activists be shown graphic footage of the October 7 Hamas attacks, labeling them as supporters of a “terrorist organization.”
• Turkey’s Foreign Ministry called the interception “a clear violation of international law,” declared Israel a “terrorist state” and imposed a total trade embargo on Israeli goods.
• The Freedom Flotilla Coalition denounced the seizure as an unlawful “kidnapping” after reports of drones and naval craft surrounding the aid ship in international waters.