Who Is Greta Thunberg And Why Was She On The Gaza-Bound Boat Intercepted By Israel?

Last Updated:June 09, 2025, 11:32 IST

Greta Thunberg was on board Gaza-bound Madleen, but Israeli forces intercepted and redirected the vessel, calling the mission a media stunt aimed at breaching its naval blockade

Greta Thunberg's SOS video before Israel stops ship to Gaza (Photo: X/ @GazaFFlotilla, @IsraelMFA)

On 9 June 2025, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg once again made global headlines, not for her climate activism but for her presence on board a Gaza-bound aid ship that was intercepted by the Israeli Navy. The vessel, Madleen, had set sail from Catania, Sicily, on 1 June 2025, carrying humanitarian supplies as part of a flotilla organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition to challenge Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza.

The interception, which took place in international waters approximately 20 nautical miles off Egypt’s coast, has reignited debate over the enforcement of maritime blockades, international law, and Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.

Who Is Greta Thunberg?

Greta Thunberg is a 22-year-old activist from Sweden who first attracted global attention in 2018, when she began a school strike outside the Swedish Parliament calling for stronger action on climate change. Her campaign, which came to be known as Fridays for Future, gained widespread traction internationally, with similar protests taking place in multiple countries.

In 2019, Thunberg addressed the United Nations Climate Action Summit, a speech that received extensive global media coverage. She was later named TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2019. Over the years, she has been involved in various protests and conferences related to climate policy, often promoting the reduction of carbon footprints, including choosing alternative modes of transport to avoid air travel.

In addition to environmental issues, Thunberg has also participated in advocacy related to broader humanitarian and political matters, including speaking out on conflicts in Ukraine, Armenia, and most recently, Gaza.

Why Was Greta Thunberg On A Gaza-Bound Ship?

In June 2025, Greta Thunberg joined a mission organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), a group that has repeatedly attempted to sail vessels towards Gaza in defiance of Israel’s naval blockade, which has been in place since 2007 following Hamas’s takeover of the territory. Israel maintains that the blockade is necessary to prevent weapons and military equipment from reaching Hamas and other militant groups operating in Gaza.

The vessel involved in the latest attempt, a British-flagged yacht named ‘Madleen’, departed from the port of Catania, Sicily, on 1 June 2025. Onboard were 12 activists, including Thunberg, along with a limited quantity of supplies such as baby formula, medical kits, water purification devices, flour, rice, nappies, and prosthetics. While the amount of aid was relatively small compared to Gaza’s broader humanitarian needs, organisers said the primary aim was to publicly challenge Israel’s naval blockade, which they argue contributes to the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The mission drew comparisons to the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident, when Israeli forces intercepted a larger flotilla attempting to breach the blockade. That operation led to clashes, resulting in nine deaths and widespread diplomatic fallout.

While organisers described the latest voyage as peaceful, Israeli authorities characterised it as a deliberate provocation designed to challenge Israel’s maritime security enforcement and potentially assist groups hostile to Israel.

The SOS Video Before Interception

In the hours leading up to the interception, a pre-recorded SOS video featuring Greta Thunberg was released on social media by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The video, recorded in anticipation of possible Israeli action, was published shortly after contact with the vessel was lost. In the clip, Thunberg says: “My name is Greta Thunberg, and I am from Sweden. If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces. Pressure your foreign ministries to release me and the others as soon as possible."

The video quickly drew international attention, generating extensive coverage across global media outlets and amplifying the flotilla’s campaign.

In response, Israeli officials described the mission as part of a broader public relations effort aimed at generating diplomatic pressure and portraying Israel’s maritime enforcement actions in a negative light. In additional official statements on X, Israel’s Foreign Ministry referred to the intercepted vessel as a “selfie yacht", and emphasised that all activists were “safe, unharmed, and receiving food and water" after being brought to port.

How Did The Interception Unfold?

On the night of June 8-9, the Madleen was intercepted by the Israeli Navy approximately 20 nautical miles off the Egyptian coast — still in international waters.

According to the Freedom Flotilla activists, Israeli forces used drones that sprayed irritant substances onto the yacht’s deck, ordered passengers to discard their phones and navigation devices, and forcibly took control of the vessel. Live streams from the ship were cut off during the operation, adding to the drama.

The activists described the boarding as “piracy" and “state kidnapping," alleging that they were violently intercepted while attempting a peaceful humanitarian mission. The Israeli military, however, rejected these accusations, stating that the interception was necessary to enforce the blockade, which they argue prevents potential weapons smuggling by groups such as Hamas.

After taking control, Israeli authorities redirected the vessel to the Israeli port of Ashdod. The activists were detained, processed, provided food and water, and are set to be deported. The humanitarian aid carried onboard would be inspected and, after clearance, transferred to Gaza via official Israeli-controlled crossings.

Why Does Israel Maintain A Naval Blockade On Gaza?

Israel imposed the naval blockade on Gaza in 2007, shortly after Hamas — which Israel, the United States, and the European Union designate as a terrorist organisation — seized control of the coastal territory.

According to Israeli authorities, the blockade is a critical security measure designed to prevent the smuggling of weapons, explosives, and dual-use materials that could be used for military purposes. Israel argues that Hamas has repeatedly used smuggling routes, including tunnels and maritime channels, to bring in rockets, missiles, and other military equipment that have been used in attacks on Israeli civilians.

To this day, Israel insists that any attempt to breach the blockade, even for humanitarian reasons, threatens its national security, as such breaches could potentially be exploited by militant groups.

What Does Maritime Law Say?

The legality of Israel’s blockade sits at the centre of an ongoing international legal debate. Under the San Remo Manual on Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea (1994), naval blockades are permitted during armed conflict if certain conditions are met: the blockade must be declared, must not starve the civilian population, must allow essential humanitarian aid, and neutral vessels attempting to breach it may be intercepted even in international waters.

Israel argues that its blockade complies with these provisions, citing its 2007 notification and security concerns regarding Hamas’s military activities. However, many international organisations, including several United Nations bodies and the Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), argue that the Gaza blockade amounts to collective punishment, severely restricting Gaza’s civilian population from accessing food, medicine, water, fuel, and other essentials.

While the San Remo Manual allows for enforcement in international waters, critics argue that any interception must still meet proportionality tests and avoid violating fundamental human rights. Whether Israel’s specific enforcement actions meet those standards remains a contested legal question now before international courts.

What Happens Next?

All 12 activists aboard the Madleen, including Greta Thunberg, were taken into Israeli custody after the vessel was redirected to Ashdod. On Monday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed via social media:

“Greta Thunberg is currently on her way to Israel, safe and in good spirits."

In a series of posts on X, the Ministry took a sharply critical tone towards the flotilla, referring to the intercepted vessel as a “selfie yacht" carrying “celebrities" engaged in what it described as a media stunt aimed purely at generating publicity. Using pointed language, Israeli officials said the activists’ cargo amounted to less than a single truckload of aid, while accusing them of attempting to turn the delivery into an “Instagram selfies" operation rather than a genuine humanitarian effort.

The Foreign Ministry also remarked that the “tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the ‘celebrities’" would be transferred to Gaza through established humanitarian channels, after undergoing standard inspection. Israeli officials contrasted the flotilla’s symbolic cargo with ongoing official relief operations, noting that over 1,200 aid trucks had entered Gaza from Israel in the preceding two weeks, with close to 11 million meals distributed to civilians via the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

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