On Sunday, June 8, 2025, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a firm directive to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to prevent an aid boat, the Madleen, carrying Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and 11 other international activists, from reaching the Gaza Strip. The vessel, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departed Sicily on June 1 with the mission to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Katz's statement was unequivocal: "I have instructed the military to prevent the Madleen flotilla from reaching Gaza," he declared. Addressing Thunberg and her fellow activists, he said, "To Greta the antisemite and her companions, Hamas propaganda mouthpieces, I say clearly: turn back because you will not reach Gaza." He further emphasized Israel's resolve, stating, "Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or support terror groups – by sea, air or land."
The Madleen carries nationals from Germany, France, Brazil, Turkey, Sweden, Spain, and the Netherlands. Among them is Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament of Palestinian descent, who has been barred from entering Israel due to her outspoken opposition to Israeli policies toward Palestinians. Hassan highlighted the political weight behind the flotilla, noting that over 200 European lawmakers had signed an open letter urging Israel to allow the Madleen to reach Gaza and for the immediate entry of its humanitarian cargo. She expressed frustration over the lack of official response from the governments of those aboard, stating, "No state has responded. The message being sent is that Israel is being allowed to act with impunity, without any guarantee of protection for us." On June 7, French Minister for Foreign Trade Laurent Saint-Martin affirmed France's obligation to provide consular protection to its six nationals aboard the boat.
Organizers of the Madleen voyage reported on June 7 that the vessel had entered Egyptian waters and was nearing Gaza, where the conflict between Israel and Hamas has entered its 21st month. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition's mission is both humanitarian and symbolic: to challenge the decades-long Israeli naval blockade of Gaza, which Israel says is necessary to prevent weapons from reaching Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls the territory and is designated a terrorist organization by Israel and others.
Greta Thunberg, who rose to global prominence in 2018 as a teenage climate activist, spoke aboard the Madleen about the urgency of their mission. "We have promised ourselves and we have promised the Palestinian people to do everything we can," she said. "When our governments are failing us … then it falls on us to step up and be the adults in the room. We are just human beings, very concerned about what’s happening, and do not accept what is going on." She has rejected previous accusations of anti-Semitism leveled against her by Israeli officials.
The backdrop to this tense standoff is a devastating conflict that escalated dramatically on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale surprise attack on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing 251 hostages. The war that followed has wrought immense suffering, with Gaza's health ministry reporting over 54,000 deaths, mostly civilians, and Israel claiming to have eliminated over 20,000 militants. The United Nations has warned that Gaza’s 2.3 million residents face an acute humanitarian crisis, with most of the population at risk of famine due to the blockade and the destruction of food production capabilities.
Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza for three months, aimed at pressuring Hamas and preventing arms imports. In May 2025, Israel began allowing some basic aid into Gaza, but humanitarian workers warn that famine remains a looming threat unless the blockade and the war end. The Madleen's mission, therefore, is seen by its organizers as a critical humanitarian intervention.
However, the Israeli military has maintained a hard line. In May 2025, another Freedom Flotilla vessel, the Conscience, reportedly came under drone attack in international waters off Malta, damaging its front section. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which Israel has denied.
On the ground in Gaza, violence continues unabated. On June 7, six Palestinians were killed and several wounded by Israeli gunfire near an aid distribution centre in southern Gaza. The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported that people had gathered to collect food supplies when Israeli forces opened fire as people attempted to advance toward the site. Eyewitness Abdallah Nour al-Din recounted that hundreds of people moved toward the distribution point in the early morning hours before the army opened fire. The Israeli military said it fired warning shots at individuals who approached soldiers in a threatening manner and described the area as an "active combat zone" at night. This incident is part of a disturbing pattern; dozens of Palestinians have been killed near aid distribution points since late May 2025.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. The territory has been devastated, with approximately 90% of its population displaced. Nearly all local food production has been destroyed, leaving the population almost entirely dependent on international aid. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed group operating some aid distribution sites, has faced criticism from the United Nations and humanitarian agencies over concerns about its practices and neutrality.
Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila, aboard the Madleen, shared concerns about attempts to jam the boat's tracking and communication devices approximately 160 nautical miles from Gaza, underscoring the high tensions surrounding the flotilla's approach.
Israel Katz reiterated that the blockade is essential to Israel’s national security as it seeks to eliminate Hamas. "The State of Israel will not allow anyone to break the naval blockade on Gaza, whose primary purpose is to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hamas," he said. The Defense Minister warned that Israel will take "any means necessary" to prevent the flotilla from reaching Gaza, signaling a readiness to act at sea, in the air, or on land.
The Madleen, named after Gaza’s only female fisher, symbolizes a broader struggle over Gaza’s future amid one of the most protracted and devastating conflicts in recent history. As the world watches, the fate of the flotilla—and the humanitarian aid it carries—remains uncertain, caught in the crossfire of a conflict that has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
