'We Knew We'd Be Watched': Israel's Detention of Greta Thunberg, 11 Others

Israeli authorities intercepted the Madleen aid ship headed to Gaza on 9 June and detained all those on board.

The crew of the Madleen aid ship surrenders after being intercepted by Israeli authorities on 9 June.

(Photo: Video screenshot) 

“Israel is handling the custody of all 12 as though they had entered illegally—even though they were forcibly abducted from international waters and brought into Israel against their will,” a representative of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FCC) told The Quint a day after Israel intercepted the Madleen aid ship in the early hours of Monday, 9 June and detained all those on board. 

As it approached the shores of the Gaza Strip in an effort to distribute baby formula, food, and medical supplies to Palestinians desperate for basic necessities and humanitarian aid, Israeli forces circled the Madeleen, eventually forcing their way onto deck and seizing the ship and all the aid it carried. 

Speculation about Israel’s response has been rife ever since the ship set sail from Catania, Italy, about a week ago considering Israel’s past actions in attacking aid ships, most recently the FCC’s own Conscience, which was attacked by drones as it attempted to transport aid to Gaza. 

The FFC confirmed to The Quint that at least four of the 12 have been deported and eight remain in Israeli detention. 

Hay Sha Wiya, the FFC’s Press Officer, told The Quint that the coalition “stands with the Madleen 12”, which includes Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, journalists, doctors and activists 

“Their detention is unlawful, politically motivated, and a direct violation of international law. The persecution of humanitarian action and the silencing of resistance will not succeed. “What happened is not legal—it amounts to an act of piracy by Israel,” he said. 

The Madleen aid ship.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Timeline 

1 June 2025: The Madleen, an 18-meter British-flagged yacht, departs from Catania, Sicily, carrying 12 crew members and humanitarian cargo.

3 June 2025: Greek coast guard drone monitors the Madleen. Activists express concern about increased surveillance. FFC reiterates peaceful intent and humanitarian mission.

5 June 2025: The Madleen rescues four Sudanese refugees adrift in the Mediterranean near Libyan waters.

7 June 2025: The yacht nears the Gaza coast, skirting Egyptian waters. Israeli navy issues warnings.

8 June 2025: The crew reports escalating Israeli surveillance and jamming. Alarms are triggered on board, and a white powder is sprayed from low-flying drones. Even as tensions rise, the Madleen continues course.

9 June 2025 (around 3:00 am local time): Israeli commandos board the Madleen in international waters (approx 185 km from Gaza). The crew surrenders peacefully after destroying phones and sensitive materials. The boat is towed to Ashdod port.

9 June 2025 (morning–evening): Crew is detained and shown footage from the Hamas‘ 7 October attack by Israeli authorities. International condemnation begins—France, Spain, the UK, and Turkey lodge diplomatic protests. UK Parliament issues a motion defending the flotilla and maritime rights.

10 June 2025: Several crew members, including Thunberg and Hassan, deported from Israel. Global human rights groups criticise Israel's actions as violations of international law and International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulings.

The Interception

Even before the crew approached Gaza, Thiago Alliva, an organiser with the FCC, told The Quint that the crew was “being shadowed by Hellenic Coast Guard drones”, adding that there were “drone flyovers almost daily”. 

“We always knew we’d be watched”, Alliva told The Quint. 

The crew of the Madleen aid ship surrenders after being intercepted by Israeli authorities on 9 June.

(Photo: Video screenshot)

On 8 June, passengers aboard the Madleen reported that unidentified boats were circling the vessel, prompting the ship’s alarm to go off. Anticipating an imminent interception, the crew made preparations. However, the boats eventually withdrew, and passengers later described the episode as a “likely false alarm.” 

According to accessed crew statements, the ship was hit with a white powdered irritant that was discharged onto the deck from a low-flying drone. 

“Quadcopters approached and sprayed a white chemical-like substance hurting their eyes. Signals were jammed, and disturbing audio was broadcast to interfere with communication over the radio system,” Hay Sha Wiya further said. 

“Soon enough, Israeli naval commandos were on board. The unarmed civilian crew was abducted, the Madleen seized.

While an Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson claimed to The Quint that the white substance was “non-harmful paint used to increase ease of boarding,” the FCC said that crew onboard confirmed that substance to be a powdery irritant that “caused severe disorientation”. Sources familiar with the matter said the soldiers belonged to the Shayetet 13, a naval commando unit of the Israeli Navy and one of the primary reconnaissance units of the IDF. 

In a video livestreamed from the boat, activist Yasemin Acar showed a white substance on the deck, saying it had been dropped on the vessel. Acar was later heard saying it was affecting her eyes.

No injuries were reported—and the crew continued on their journey. 

After losing communication with the vessel on 8 June, the FFC began posting pre-recorded video messages from Thunberg and others onboard. 

“The vessel was intercepted in international waters before it could reach the port or make contact with the hostages,” said Motasem Zedan, an attorney with the FCC who was waiting at the Ashdod Port “seeking updates on their status and trying to understand what transpired from their perspective.”

“According to international law, this area falls within occupied Palestinian territory, and the naval blockade itself is illegal. These waters mark the boundary of Palestinian jurisdiction, not Israeli. Therefore, Israel has no legal authority to intercept the ship. As we've maintained, their actions are unlawful.”

Greta Thunberg.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

The commandos ordered the crew to stand down. Once aboard, Israeli soldiers instructed all 12 people on the vessel to discard their phones into the sea. They then filmed a video showing themselves handing out sandwiches and water bottles to the crew. On X, the Israeli military later described the intercepted vessel as a "selfie yacht" and announced that it had been stopped.

The FCC subsequently posted a video on Telegram, showing crew members sitting inside the boat with their hands in the air.

Approximately 24 hours after contact with those aboard the Madleen, lawyers from Adalah, a Palestinian legal centre representing the activists, were able to meet with 10 of the 12 detained by Israel.

Two of the 12—Omar Faiad, a journalist with Al Jazeera, was represented separately through legal counsel arranged by the outlet, and Yanis Mhamdi, a journalist from France, was represented by private counsel.

A few hours after the boat was seized, those on-board were reportedly given two options.

“They were told to choose between signing documents consenting to their deportation, or to remain in detention and appear before the Israeli Detention Review Tribunal,” Hay Sha Wiya further told The Quint.

The FFC had encouraged some volunteers, if given the option, to agree to expedited deportation to restore access to communication—"including the ability to speak freely and advocate for their fellow participants.”

“All of them explicitly disputed the claim of unlawful entry in writing, affirming that Israeli law does not apply to them, that their mission was humanitarian in nature, and that both the boat’s interception and their detention are illegal. However, we know all too well that there is no justice to be found in Israel’s legal system”. 

Four of the 12—Thunberg, Frenchman Baptiste Andre, Spanish activist Sergio Toribio and Al-Jazeera’s Omar Faiad—were deported to their home countries, the remaining eight were brought before the Israeli Detention Review Tribunal in the Ramleh detention facility.

Greta Thunberg being deported. 

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Details of the Hearing

Over five hours on Tuesday, the tribunal reviewed custody orders issued by the Israeli Ministry of Interior pending their deportation. The tribunal said that it is treating all 12 individuals as if they “illegally entered” the country—despite detaining them in international waters and transferring them into Israeli territory “against their will”. 

Separately, yesterday, all 12 were also informed that Israel had imposed a 100-year entry ban on each of them. 

Adalah’s legal team argued that Israel’s interception of the Madleen and the detention of peaceful, unarmed volunteers attempting to break the blockade on Gaza violated international law. 

They stressed that the ongoing siege on Gaza amounts to collective punishment and directly breaches the provisional measures issued by the ICJ in the genocide case of South Africa versus Israel. The lawyers thus argued that the activists acted within their legitimate rights by attempting to break the siege and allow delivery of humanitarian aid, regardless of its net value. 

Moreover, the legal team emphasised that even under Israeli law, the authorities lack legal jurisdiction because Israeli forces seized the vessel in international waters and “forcibly” transported the volunteers into Israeli territory and hence hold no lawful authority to detain or deport them. 

Meanwhile, in their statements to the tribunal, the activists declared that they had been “kidnapped and forcibly brought into Israel against their will.” 

They stressed that their sole mission was to “break the siege on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid,” and when court asked whether they were aware of the naval blockade, they firmly responded that the blockade is “illegal under international law and cannot justify Israel’s actions.” 

The state asked the tribunal to keep the activists in custody until their deportation. Under the Entry into Israel Law, individuals who have been issued deportation orders will be held in detention for 72 hours before being forcibly removed, unless they agree to leave earlier. 

Humanitarian Aid 'Death Trap' in Gaza

In recent days, dozens of Palestinians have been killed while attempting to access aid distributed by the newly established Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed group meant to replace the UN-led distribution system. The UN has warned that this new mechanism has become a “death trap” for desperate civilians seeking food and supplies in besieged enclaves.

Last month, another vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition—The Conscience—was reportedly targeted by a drone attack off the coast of Malta while in international waters. Organisers alleged the drone was Israeli, although they provided no concrete evidence. The Israeli military declined comment on the incident. The ship had been en route to Malta to pick up a group of activists, including Greta Thunberg, before heading toward Gaza.

Greta Thunberg being detained by Israeli authorities. 

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Following the 7 October attacks and the outbreak of war in Gaza, Israel intensified its blockade of the Gaza Strip, declaring it a "total blockade" that cut off the entry of food, water, medicine, fuel, and electricity. This escalation has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, with scholars and human rights experts describing the conditions as genocidal. 

While Israel claims that there “are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip that do not involve provocations and selfies,” Israel maintained strict control over aid entering Gaza through checkpoints managed by the government with aid deliveries being repeatedly disrupted over years. 

Since 2 March 2025, the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza has dropped drastically. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has warned of a looming famine, as the territory's supplies dwindle. Despite mounting international concern, Israel has made clear that any attempt to breach the Gaza blockade will not be tolerated.

The Madleen aid ship before setting sail towards Gaza.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)