Greta Thunberg has been hauled off her ‘Freedom Flotilla’ by Israel naval forces because it neared the besieged Gaza Strip.
In footage posted by Israel International Ministry, Thunberg is seen being detained however is described as being ‘secure and wholesome.’
The Israel International Ministry added that she can be transferred to an Israeli port.
‘Already a number of vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port,’ the submit mentioned.
‘Greta and her buddies are secure and wholesome.’
The World Sumud Flotilla mentioned its vessels had been being boarded by the Israeli navy, because it approached Palestinian territory, with cameras taken offline.
The fleet with Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela, and several other European lawmakers aboard, consists of practically 50 boats and 500 activists and is carrying symbolic quantity of humanitarian help.
‘Excessive alert. Our vessels are being illegally intercepted,’ organisers of the flotilla mentioned.
Greta Thunberg has been hauled off her ‘Freedom Flotilla’ by Israel naval forces because it neared the besieged Gaza Strip
In footage posted by Israel International Ministry, Thunberg is seen being detained however is described as being ‘secure and wholesome’
The Israel International Ministry added that Thunberg can be transferred to an Israeli port
‘Cameras are offline and vessels have been boarded by navy personnel.
‘We’re actively working to verify the protection and standing of all individuals on board.’
Greg Stoker, an American veteran aboard one of many boats within the flotilla, mentioned round a dozen naval vessels with their transponders off had approached it.
‘They’re at present hailing our vessels, telling us to show off our engines and await additional directions or our boats can be seized and we are going to face the results,’ he mentioned in a shaky video whereas carrying a pink life jacket.
An extra assertion from the flotilla mentioned: ‘Round 8:30pm Gaza time, a number of vessels of the World Sumud Flotilla, together with the Alma, Sirius and Adara, had been illegally intercepted and boarded by Israeli occupation forces in worldwide waters.
‘Past the confirmed interceptions, dwell streams and communications with a number of different vessels have been misplaced.’
The Israeli International Ministry mentioned on X that the navy had reached out to the flotilla to ask them to vary course and to warn them that they’re approaching ‘an lively fight zone.’
It reiterated its supply to switch the help to Gaza by means of different channels.
These calls had been echoed by different European governments, together with Italy, which had despatched a navy ship to observe the flotilla for a part of its journey however stopped as they obtained nearer to Gaza’s shores.
Italy’s International Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed the Israeli intervention and mentioned the operation was anticipated to take two to a few housr hours.
He informed state TV Rai that the boats can be towed to Israel’s port of Ashdod and the activists can be deported within the coming days and that Israeli forces have been informed ‘to not use violence’.
The World Sumud Flotilla mentioned its vessels had been being boarded by navy personnel, because it approached Palestinian territory, with cameras taken offline in a submit on social media
Greta Thunberg and a crew member flash victory indicators from their ship, a part of the World Sumud Flotilla aiming to achieve Gaza and break Israel’s naval blockade, as they sail off Crete island, Greece, September 25, 2025
Greta Thunberg and a crew member flash victory indicators from their ship, a part of the World Sumud Flotilla aiming to achieve Gaza and break Israel’s naval blockade, as they sail off Crete island, Greece, September 25, 2025
The worldwide flotilla mentioned it will proceed to sail onwards after a tense night time within the Mediterranean Sea with over 40 civilian boats aiming to interrupt Israel‘s blockade of the Palestinian enclave.
‘Each minute we advance a bit of extra,’ Thiago Ávila, one of many flotilla leaders informed reporters on Wednesday from aboard the Alma, one of many flotilla’s motherships.
The vessels had been crusing in worldwide waters north of Egypt on Wednesday afternoon and had entered what activists and others referred to as a ‘hazard zone’ or ‘excessive danger zone.’
Whereas nonetheless in worldwide waters, it’s an space the place the Israeli navy has stopped different boats making an attempt to interrupt its blockade previously and which the flotilla has been warned to not cross.
There are fears it may finish in catastrophe because the 500-strong crew has ignored repeated warnings and refused at hand over the help to be delivered by land crossing.
In a single day, the activists mentioned two Israeli warships aggressively approached two of their boats, circling them and jamming their communications, together with the dwell cameras on board.
‘It was an intimidation act. They wished us to see them,’ mentioned Lisi Proença, one other activist who was on board the Sirius, a vessel that was focused alongside the Alma.
After the shut encounter in a single day, the navy vessels ultimately left and the flotilla continued on its journey, broadcasting dwell cameras from a lot of its boats.
By Wednesday afternoon, the environment gave the impression to be extra relaxed on board the decks of a few of the sailboats that broadcast their journeys by means of 24/7 livestreams.
Some activists held up messages of solidarity with individuals in Gaza and chanted ‘Free Palestine!’ on digicam. Music might be heard taking part in within the background.
Flotilla individuals have additionally flooded social media with movies of their voyage and fixed updates.
If undisturbed, the flotilla, which started its journey from the Spanish port of Barcelona a month in the past, goals to achieve the shores of Gaza by Thursday morning, the group mentioned.
Nonetheless, activists mentioned that was unlikely and that they had been anticipating Israeli authorities to attempt to cease them at any second, as they’ve completed in previous makes an attempt.
Israel’s International Minister Gideon Saar referred to as the flotilla a provocation and warned them to cease and switch their help by means of different channels into Gaza.
‘It isn’t too late,’ he posted on X.
Israel’s authorities has accused a few of the flotilla members of being linked to Hamas, whereas offering little proof to help the declare.
The flotilla’s advance comes as Israeli forces killed not less than 31 Palestinians within the Gaza on Tuesday. Pictured: Displaced Palestinian kids seek for firewood and plastic in a landfill beside the makeshift tent camp the place they’re taking shelter, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025
Displaced Palestinians, pressured to flee their properties in northern Gaza following heavy Israeli assaults and evacuation orders, arrange makeshift tents alongside the central coastal space of Gaza on September 30, 2025
The final stunt by Ms Thunberg, 22, was handled swiftly by the IDF who intercepted her lone vessel, deported these on board, and reported that the activists had eaten a lot of the help.
However officers warned this flotilla of 44 ships is ‘a distinct ball recreation’ and concern is rising there might be a repeat of the 2010 Mavi Marmara catastrophe the place 9 activists had been killed when Israeli commandos stormed vessels.
‘The dimensions of this flotilla is unprecedented,’ an Israeli official informed the Every day Mail.
‘We worry some individuals produce other agendas that might spark escalation. Our goal is to deal with the scenario peacefully and keep away from provocation, however we are going to act in accordance with the regulation.’
Activists have strongly rejected the accusations and mentioned Israel was attempting to justify potential assaults on them.
European governments, together with Spain and Italy, which had despatched their navy ships to escort the flotilla throughout a part of its journey, urged the activists to show again and keep away from confrontation.
However whereas Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni mentioned late Tuesday the flotilla’s actions risked undermining US President Donald Trump’s current proposal for resolving the conflict in Gaza, Spain’s prime minister defended them.
‘We should bear in mind it’s a humanitarian mission that would not be going down if the Israeli authorities had allowed for the entry of help,’ Pedro Sánchez informed reporters on Wednesday.
Spaniards participating would profit from full diplomatic safety, he added.
‘They current no menace nor hazard to Israel,’ he mentioned.]
The U.N. Conference on the Regulation of the Sea stipulates {that a} state solely has jurisdiction as much as 12 nautical miles (19 kilometers) from its shores.
Usually, states do not have the correct to grab ships in worldwide waters, although armed battle is an exception to this.
Yuval Shany, an skilled on worldwide regulation at Hebrew College in Jerusalem, mentioned that so long as Israel’s blockade of Gaza is ‘militarily justified’ – meant to maintain out weapons – and the ship meant to interrupt the siege, Israel can intercept the vessel after prior warning.
Whether or not the blockade is militarily justified and the legality of the blockade is a degree of rivalry.
However the flotilla argues they’re a civilian, unarmed group and that the passage of humanitarian help is assured in worldwide regulation.
The flotilla’s advance comes as Israeli forces killed not less than 31 Palestinians in Gaza on Tuesday, native Hamas-run hospitals mentioned, as questions churned about Trump’s peace plan aimed toward ending the practically two-year conflict in Gaza.
Hamas introduced it will evaluate the proposal with group members and different Palestinian factions earlier than reaching a call.
Whereas the proposal affords an finish to the combating, ensures the movement of humanitarian help and guarantees reconstruction, the Palestinian militant group should disarm, one thing it has rejected previously.
Additionally, Gaza and its greater than 2 million Palestinians can be put below worldwide governance for the foreseeable future.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backs the plan, and several other leaders of Arab nations have applauded it.
Israel’s marketing campaign in Gaza has killed greater than 66,000 Palestinians and wounded practically 170,000 others, in line with Gaza’s Hamas-run Well being Ministry.
The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and militants in its toll, however has mentioned ladies and kids make up round half the lifeless.
Its marketing campaign was triggered by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel, by which terrorists killed some 1,200 individuals and kidnapped 250 others.
A lot of the hostages have been freed below earlier ceasefire offers.
