Egypt Daily News
• The Israeli Foreign Ministry announces control over the ship and the arrest of activists for deportation to their home countries
• Israel claims that “the small amount of aid that was on board the ship and not consumed by the ‘celebrities’ will be transferred to Gaza through genuine humanitarian channels”
• The Freedom Flotilla Coalition calls on European countries to intervene and announces the kidnapping of the activists
• It is confirmed that intercepting the ship in international waters and preventing its humanitarian mission constitutes a war crime
• UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese calls on Britain to intervene to secure the release of the ship flying its flag
The ship “Madeleine,” part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and a civilian vessel headed for Gaza carrying humanitarian aid and international human rights defenders, set sail in direct defiance of the illegal and genocidal blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip.
The ship was named “Madeleine” in honor of the first and youngest fisherwoman in Gaza in 2014. It embodies the unbreakable spirit of Palestinian resilience and the growing global resistance against Israel’s policy of collective punishment and deliberate starvation.
Volunteers from multiple countries participated in this voyage, including Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan and climate justice activist Greta Thunberg. The ship carried urgent humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza, including baby formula, flour, rice, diapers, women’s health supplies, water desalination equipment, medical supplies, and prosthetics for children.
- Israel takes control of the ship and arrests activists
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that a ship affiliated with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition heading to Gaza was towed to Israeli shores after the Israeli navy redirected the vessel when it approached a “prohibited area.”
The ministry added that the passengers are expected to be returned to their countries.
The “Freedom Flotilla Coalition” announced early today that the Israeli army had kidnapped the international solidarity activists aboard the ship “Madeleine,” which was en route to Gaza in an attempt to break the long-standing blockade.
In a statement on Telegram, the coalition said: “The Israeli army kidnapped the volunteers aboard the ship Madeleine, and all communication with the boat was lost at the moment of the raid.”
The same account published a photo showing the ship’s passengers wearing life jackets with their hands raised, confirming that communication had been cut off on board.
The coalition accused Israel of “kidnapping” the activists who were on board.
The newspaper “Israel Hayom” reported that the Israeli army began taking control of the “Madeleine” ship heading to Gaza and was arresting the 12 activists on board in preparation for their deportation.
The paper noted that the Israeli navy is currently towing the ship toward the port of Ashdod.
Channel 12 (a private Israeli outlet) reported that naval forces had taken control of the ship and that it was en route to Ashdod, confirming that no injuries were reported.
- Israel claims the aid will be transferred to Gaza
The Israeli Foreign Ministry claimed that “the small quantity of aid on board the yacht, not consumed by the celebrities, will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels.”
This comes after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued orders Sunday evening to prevent the ship from reaching Gaza.
Gallant stated: “I instructed the army to prevent the ship Madeleine from reaching Gaza. To Greta, the anti-Semite, and her companions, the propaganda mouthpieces of Hamas, I say clearly: turn back, you will not reach Gaza.”
- Freedom Flotilla urges European countries to intervene
European Parliament Member Rima Hassan, on board the ship, said that an Israeli drone flying above them dropped an unknown white liquid, according to statements aired via a live broadcast from the ship.
Footage showed Israeli warships approaching “Madeleine,” amid attempts to force it to turn back.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition reported that six Israeli vessels surrounded the ship, while coalition member Tiago Avila said, “What is happening is a full-fledged war crime.”
Trip organizers said that four Israeli warships had already approached without launching an attack at the time of reporting. Sirens were sounded on the ship “Madeleine” to warn of the approaching boats, and life jackets were prepared in case of escalation.
The head of the International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza appealed to the free world, particularly Britain and France, to urgently intervene to ensure the crew’s safety.
- Preventing the ship’s humanitarian mission is a war crime
Yasmin Ajar, a Turkish activist aboard the “Madeleine” ship of the Freedom Flotilla headed to Gaza, said Sunday that any Israeli attack on the ship would constitute “another war crime.”
Speaking in a live social media broadcast, Ajar said: “Quite simply, if Israel attacks us, it will be another war crime added to their long list of such crimes.”
She added: “They (the Israeli forces) carry weapons, while we carry only humanitarian aid. People must understand that we are civilians with no weapons whatsoever. Our mission is purely humanitarian.”
The Turkish activist continued: “I always feel the need to repeat this information due to Israeli propaganda.”
She added: “Our field team informed us that internet cuts have officially begun, and we can feel it through the communication interruptions, as the internet has become much slower.”
Hamas considered the Israeli military’s interception of the “Madeleine” solidarity ship heading to break the siege on Gaza to be “organized state terrorism and a blatant violation of international law.”
In a statement, the movement condemned “the Israeli act of piracy in international waters by forcibly stopping the solidarity ship Madeleine, towing it to the port of Ashdod, and detaining the international activists on board, who came on a humanitarian mission to break the blockade and expose the crime of starvation.”
Hamas praised the stance of the activists aboard the ship, saying they “affirmed that Gaza is not alone and is supported by the free people of the world, and that the conscience of humanity remains alive in confronting the fascist occupation.”
The movement demanded the immediate release of the detained activists and held Israel fully responsible for their safety.
Hamas also called on the United Nations and international organizations to urgently act to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza and condemn the act of intercepting the ship.
The movement noted that detaining the “Madeleine” ship would “further isolate Israel and expose its criminal face to the people of the world.”
- UN rapporteur calls on Britain to intervene
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, called on the British government to act swiftly to ensure the release of the “Madeleine” ship and its crew after it was seized by Israeli forces in international waters.
In a post on X, Albanese said, “The interception and seizure of the Madeleine ship by Israeli forces in international waters requires a full explanation from the Israeli authorities.”
She emphasized that Britain “must urgently seek this clarification and ensure the immediate release of the ship and its crew.”
The UN rapporteur added that “the Madeleine ship is on a legitimate humanitarian mission and must be allowed to continue toward the Gaza Strip.”
