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.
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One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a fresh attack on Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Saudi Arabia has vowed to remain resilient after a wave of Houthi missile and drone attacks killed around 20 people at Riyadh's main airport, raising concerns over the kingdom's air defences and disrupting flights across the region.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign and ratify their peace agreement as soon as possible, calling it a crucial step towards securing his country's long-term stability.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
Kazakhstan’s competition regulator has issued a formal warning to ride-hailing platform inDrive after fares for some journeys reportedly nearly tripled as widespread Yandex outages disrupted taxi services across Central Asia on 11 October.
Azerbaijan will host the sixth Rebuild Garabagh exhibition in Baku from 14 to 16 October, bringing together companies involved in the region’s reconstruction.
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