Israeli forces take control of Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg

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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/09/gaza-aid-boat-madleen-israel-greta-thunberg-freedom-flotilla-coalition

Crew of activists making symbolic attempt to deliver aid expected to be held in port until deportation hearings

A boat seized by Israel’s military as it tried to break the blockade on Gaza was towed into an Israeli port after sunset on Monday, with the crew of activists including Greta Thunberg expected to be held there in advance of deportation hearings.

The Madleen was attempting to bring a symbolic shipment of aid to Gaza, which faces a looming famine after more than 11 weeks of total siege and ongoing severe restrictions on food entering the territory.

In recent days Israeli forces have killed dozens of Palestinians and injured hundreds more as they tried to reach a handful of sites where a US- and Israeli-backed logistics organisation is handing out limited supplies.

Thunberg and the other 11 members of the Madleen crew, including the French MEP Rima Hassan and the Al Jazeera journalist Omar Faiad, have been out of contact since Israeli forces took control of the boat in the early hours of Monday morning.

The legal adviser to the Israeli navy told the rights group Adalah, which is representing the detainees: “To the best of our knowledge, none of them are injured or currently require medical treatment.”

Article continues at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/09/gaza-aid-boat-madleen-israel-greta-thunberg-freedom-flotilla-coalition

Israel’s Seizure of Gaza Freedom Flotilla Called a ‘Blatant Act of International Piracy’

Continue ReadingIsraeli forces take control of Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg

Israeli forces take control of Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg

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dizzy: There are few news reports on Israel boarding the Madleen and the situation remains unclear.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/09/gaza-aid-boat-madleen-israel-greta-thunberg-freedom-flotilla-coalition

British-flagged yacht operated by pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition was making symbolic attempt to deliver aid

Israel’s military took control of a boat trying to deliver food to Palestinians in Gaza in the early hours of Monday morning, and brought its crew of activists including Greta Thunberg to an Israeli port.

The Madleen was making a symbolic attempt to break to the blockade of Gaza and raise awareness of a looming “starvation crisis”.

It was never likely to get through Israel’s naval blockade of the territory, where UN-backed experts have warned of looming famine, and dozens of people have been killed by Israeli forces trying to reach food distribution centres.

Even attempting to reach Gaza by boat is risky. In May, another boat sailing as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group that organised the Madleen’s voyage, caught fire off Malta and issued an SOS after what the group said was an attack by Israeli drones. Israel’s military declined to comment.

In 2010, nine activists were killed when Israeli commandos raided a small fleet of ships trying to take supplies including building materials to Gaza. Israel began blockading Gaza in 2007.

Among the last communications from the Madleen before it lost communications was a photo showing the 12-strong crew gathered in a circle, wearing lifejackets, with their hands in the air.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/09/gaza-aid-boat-madleen-israel-greta-thunberg-freedom-flotilla-coalition

Continue ReadingIsraeli forces take control of Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg

Israel’s defence minister vows to prevent aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg from reaching Gaza

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/israels-defence-minister-vows-prevent-aid-boat-carrying-greta-thunberg-reaching-gaza

 Climate activist Greta Thunberg stands near a Palestinian flag after boarding the Madleen boat and before setting sail for Gaza along with activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departing from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, June 1, 2025

ISRAEL’S far-right defence minister vowed today to prevent an aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from reaching the Gaza Strip.

The remarks by Israel Katz comes as the Israelis continue to carry out their attacks on Palestinians desperately seeking aid in Gaza.

Mr Katz said today that Israel wouldn’t allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms.

“To the anti-semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propagandists — I will say this clearly: You should turn back, because you will not make it to Gaza,” he said in a statement.

Ms Thunberg, a climate campaigner, is among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The vessel departed Sicily last Sunday on a mission that aims to break the sea blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave.

The vessel was expected to reach Gaza’s territorial waters this evening.

After a three-month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless the blockade [is lifted] and the war end[s].

Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/israels-defence-minister-vows-prevent-aid-boat-carrying-greta-thunberg-reaching-gaza

Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel's Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don't do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel’s Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don’t do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.

Continue ReadingIsrael’s defence minister vows to prevent aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg from reaching Gaza

UNRWA slams Israeli ban on international journalists reporting on Gaza, calls to allow it to work

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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini on April 30, 2024 [FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images]

Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), on Saturday condemned Israel’s ongoing ban on international journalists entering Gaza, calling it an unprecedented act in modern conflict, Anadolu reports.

“This is unprecedented in any other conflict in modern history,” Lazzarini said in a statement.

“It is a ban on the truth. It is a ban on reporting the facts. It is the perfect recipe to fuel misinformation, deepening polarization and dehumanization.”

He stressed the importance of allowing independent reporting and supporting local journalists: “International journalists must independently report from Gaza and support their Palestinian colleagues who continue to do a heroic job at a heavy price.”

“Nearly 200 of them were reported killed since the war began,” said Lazzarini, stressing that “the ban on international media must be lifted.”

Separately, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on Saturday reiterated its call for cooperation from the Israeli government over allegations made against the agency, stating that no credible evidence has been provided despite repeated requests.

“UNRWA has repeatedly requested cooperation and evidence from Israel regarding the serious allegations made against the Agency,” the agency said in an official statement.

READ: At least 65 Palestinians killed, 100 more injured as Israel continues attacks on Gaza on 2nd day of Eid

“After 20 months, UNRWA has not received any response, nor has the Government of Israel shared any sufficient evidence.”

The agency emphasized its continued commitment to its humanitarian mandate, stating: “UNRWA remains committed to its mandate and is ready to deliver humanitarian assistance at scale in Gaza, together with other UN agencies.”

Israel, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a genocidal offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 54,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave’s more than 2 million inhabitants.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.

READ: Israeli lawmaker shows off keys to locked UNRWA Headquarters in Jerusalem in Knesset session

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel's Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don't do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel’s Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don’t do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
Continue ReadingUNRWA slams Israeli ban on international journalists reporting on Gaza, calls to allow it to work

At least 65 Palestinians killed, 100 more injured as Israel continues attacks on Gaza on 2nd day of Eid

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A view of devastation after Israeli strikes on various areas in Gaza on the second day of Eid al-Adha, June 7, 2025. [Khames Alrefi – Anadolu Agency]

Beginning early Saturday, Israeli air strikes and gunfire killed at least 65 Palestinians and injured around 100 more in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian sources, Anadolu reports.

Medical sources told Anadolu that on day two of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, at least 15 Palestinians, including six children, were killed and over 50 others injured when Israeli warplanes struck a residential home with two missiles in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City.

Rescue teams on the ground fear that the death toll will rise to more than 30, as many people are still missing and possibly trapped under the rubble.

Twelve people, including four members of a single family, were killed and over 40 others wounded in Israeli shelling that targeted tents sheltering displaced Palestinians west of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Seven more Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted a house sheltering displaced people west of Gaza City.

Two Palestinians were killed when Israeli artillery targeted a group of civilians in the Al-Saftawi neighborhood in northern Gaza.

READ: From Al-Aqsa to Gaza’s ruins: Palestinians observe Eid amid war, Israeli occupation

Three others were killed in an air strike targeting a civilian gathering in the Abu Shrekh area, west of the Jabalia refugee camp.

Another three Palestinians, including a child, were killed in a separate strike on a house near the Al-Mujayda fuel station in the same area.

A medical official at Nasser Hospital reported that six people were killed when an Israeli drone struck the town of Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis.

Elsewhere in Khan Younis, a separate drone strike in the al-Amal neighborhood killed one person and wounded another.

Eight more Palestinians were killed when an Israeli strike targeted a group of civilians in the Jabalia al-Nazla area, medical sources told Anadolu.

Two more people were killed in another Israeli strike that hit the al-Faluja area of Jabalia, the same sources added.

Separately, six Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli forces near an aid distribution center west of Rafah. Several others were injured.

The total number of Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire while trying to access humanitarian aid under a controversial new system since May 27 has risen to 115, with more than 580 wounded and nine still missing, according to a tally by Anadolu based on Palestinian sources.

On Friday alone, the first day of Eid al-Adha, 33 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes and shelling across several areas of the Gaza Strip.

With two Eids (major Muslim holidays) per year under the Muslim calendar system, this is the fourth Eid for Gazans since October 2023, when Israel launched a genocidal war which has killed nearly 54,800 Palestinians, created famine conditions, and left the enclave all but uninhabitable.

READ: Israel orders evacuation of several neighborhoods in northern Gaza on Eid’s 1st day with plan to bomb

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Continue ReadingAt least 65 Palestinians killed, 100 more injured as Israel continues attacks on Gaza on 2nd day of Eid