Israeli Navy Seizes the Gaza-strip Bound Aid Ship "Madeleine" in International Waters

 The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced Monday night that the ship Madeleine, part of a humanitarian flotilla attempting to reach the Gaza Strip, has been intercepted by Israeli naval forces and is being escorted to the port of Ashdod. All 12 passengers on board, described as humanitarian workers and peaceful activists, are reported to be safe and unharmed. According to the ministry, they were provided with sandwiches and water upon detention.

Defense Minister Israel Katz praised the IDF operation, saying, “It is appropriate that the anti-Semite Greta [Thunberg] and her fellow Hamas supporters see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organization they came to support and for whom they are working — what atrocities they have committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself.” Katz also confirmed he had instructed the IDF to show the activists video footage documenting the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Controversy Over Legality of Operation

According to flotilla organizers, the Madeleine was seized in international waters — approximately 100 kilometers north of Port Said, Egypt, and about 200 kilometers from the Israeli coast — sparking immediate condemnation from supporters. Activists not on board denounced the operation as a "flagrant violation of international law" and called on the international community to demand the release of the detainees and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Francesca Albanese, the UN Human Rights Council's special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, who was on board, told Al Jazeera that communications were disrupted during the operation. “Communication between me and the captain of the ship was disrupted,” she said, adding that drones sprayed the vessel with a white substance, which they believe was used to interfere with their communications.

IDF: Gaza Maritime Zone Closed to Traffic

Footage released earlier by the Israeli Foreign Ministry shows naval vessels approaching the Madeleine. A female IDF officer can be heard over a loudspeaker telling the ship’s crew: “The maritime area off the coast of Gaza is closed to traffic. If you want to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, you can do so through the port of Ashdod.”

Israeli authorities emphasized that the blockade on Gaza is intended to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hamas. Defense Minister Katz made it clear that no vessel would be permitted to breach the blockade. “The State of Israel will not allow anyone to violate the naval blockade on Gaza,” he said. “Greta and her friends should turn back — because they will not reach Gaza.”

Background on the Flotilla

The Madeleine is part of a broader flotilla campaign organized by international activists seeking to deliver humanitarian supplies directly to Gaza. The movement, which includes high-profile supporters such as climate activist Greta Thunberg, insists its mission is strictly peaceful and non-violent. The Israeli government, however, views such efforts as politically charged and potentially dangerous, particularly if used to smuggle weapons or other contraband to Hamas.

Despite Israeli efforts to downplay the operation’s visibility, the dramatic interception is now drawing global attention and reigniting debate over the legality and morality of the Gaza blockade.