A group of international activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, will be deported from Israel after their boat, the Madleen, was seized en route to Gaza, Israeli authorities announced Monday.
The Madleen was intercepted early Monday by Israeli forces while attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged Strip. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the mission, said the boat was seized in international waters approximately 200 kilometres from Gaza. Israel dismissed the voyage as a publicity stunt, referring to the vessel as the “selfie yacht of the celebrities.”
Footage released by Israel’s foreign ministry showed military personnel distributing water and food to the orange life vest-clad activists. The Madleen was later brought to the Israeli port of Ashdod, where all aboard were disembarked and transferred to a detention facility ahead of deportation.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition accused Israel of “unlawfully boarding” the boat, claiming its unarmed crew was “abducted” and that essential supplies—such as baby formula and medicine—were confiscated.
Among the 12 activists on board were six French citizens, including Rima Hassan, a French MEP of Palestinian origin who has previously been barred from entering Israel. The European Parliament member said it is in “constant contact” with Israeli authorities to ensure her safety. EP President Roberta Metsola and political leaders are also involved in the case.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Israel to allow the French nationals to return immediately.
Thunberg, in a pre-recorded message released after the seizure, urged pressure on the Swedish government to secure their release. She and other activists had departed from Sicily a week ago, reportedly stopping mid-voyage to rescue four migrants fleeing the Libyan coast guard.
Israel said the aid on board would be delivered to Gaza via established channels.
Around 11,000 people joined a demonstration in Orléans on Saturday against the National Rally congress, according to the local prefecture....
Israeli forces have maintained a tight closure on Hebron in the occupied West Bank for a second day, with Palestinian media reporting home raids, m...
German police have detained a suspect after a major fire broke out at the historic Kehlsteinhaus, known as the “Eagle’s Nest&rdqu...
Israeli military bulldozers have begun demolishing buildings in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, 23 October, following armed clashes with Palestinians that left two Israeli soldiers dead, according to the Israeli military.
Saudi Aramco has ordered staff to evacuate its headquarters amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom. Two people were killed in an attack on Dammam airport, while Iran's IRGC Navy claimed strikes on seven vessels and warned the U.S. of a wider response.
Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight killed at least two people and injured 15 others, including two children, Ukrainian authorities said. Meanwhile, Russia said it had intercepted the vast majority of 630 Ukrainian drones launched towards Moscow.
Super typhoon Champi is set to batter Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture from Friday (23 October), bringing violent winds, torrential rain and waves up to 11 metres high, as airlines cancel flights and organisers scrap a major festival.
A powerful magnitude 7 earthquake has struck Tibet in southwestern China, killing 16 people and injuring 65, while forcing more than 12,000 residents to relocate as rescue teams respond to widespread aftershocks.
Israeli forces have maintained a tight closure on Hebron in the occupied West Bank for a second day, with Palestinian media reporting home raids, mass detentions and dozens of residents forced outside following a shooting incident the day before.
Foreign ministers meeting in Istanbul on Friday warned that renewed military strikes on Iran could deepen the regional conflict, urging diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
Georgia’s Constitutional Court has extended hearings in a case seeking to ban five opposition parties, with proceedings now set to continue until 30 October. The court in Batumi will resume hearings on Monday, 26 October, after missing its original 23 October deadline.
Pakistan and the European Union have agreed to step up counterterrorism cooperation as security concerns over Afghanistan grow and tensions between Islamabad and Kabul persist.
The head of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) says Armenia has effectively withdrawn from the military alliance, despite not formally ending its membership.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment