In the early morning of Monday, on June 9, the Israeli military forcibly intercepted an international rescue ship heading to Gaza in the Mediterranean waters. Several international volunteers, including Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, were seized.
The voyage was organized by the "Free Fleet Alliance" to deliver much-needed aid to the Gaza Strip, according to the Associated Press. The ship was loaded with infant formula, food and medical supplies, with the intention of breaking the 18-year lockdown in Gaza.
The ship took a week's voyage and set off from Sicily, Italy, and also stopped to rescue four refugees who escaped the Libyan Coast Guard.
Before the ship was intercepted, Greta Tombery had recorded a video in advance to express his position and demands. She said in the video: "I ask all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on Sweden to get me and other detained persons released as soon as possible."
There is another crew member on the ship who is a French Palestinian European Parliament member Rima Hassan. She has long criticized Israel's policies towards Palestinians and has been included in the list of rejections by Israel.
The Israeli army forcibly boarded the ship on the grounds of "security considerations" and seized the supplies and crew.
The Free Fleet Organization accused Israel of its actions as "kidnapping" and condemned the interception as "illegal encroachment." "The ship was boarded by force, the unarmed crew was captured, and the life-saving supplies were confiscated."
1. Israel's tough response
In response to the concerns of international public opinion, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs quickly responded, satirizing the voyage as a "celebrity selfie yacht show" on social media platforms.
They said the volunteers would be deported and the seized materials would be sent to Gaza through "established channels." Israel also released a video showing soldiers distributing sandwiches and water to volunteers wearing life jackets.
Israel's claim has been questioned by activists, who believe that Israel's so-called "established channels" have not really solved the local material shortage.
2. Gaza under the blockade: the abyss of the humanitarian crisis
The blockade in the Gaza Strip began in 2007, when Hamas seized power in the conflict with Fatah and formally took control of the region. Israel and Egypt then began to impose different levels of blockade on Gaza, citing preventing Hamas from obtaining weapons.
This 18-year blockade also pushed about 2 million Palestinians to the brink of life and death.
Since Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel's blockade and military strike against Gaza have become increasingly severe.
In March 2025, Israel completely cut off the supply of aid from Gaza, and it was not until the international community put pressure on it to allow a small amount of materials to enter. The United Nations and aid organizations warn that the supplies are far from enough to prevent Gaza from falling into famine.
According to statistics from the Gaza Strip health department, the war has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children. Israel said that these deaths may contain a large number of Hamas militants. In addition, another 90% of Gaza residents have lost their homes due to the war and have barely survived by relying almost entirely on international aid.
