Early Monday morning, the Madleen ship, launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was intercepted by the Israeli army at around 185 km (100 naval miles) in Gaza, in international waters.
Among the 12 entrusted crew members are the Greta Thunberg climate lawyer, a member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, the journalist of Tel Aviv Tribune Omar Faiad and other activists.
The Israeli media reported that the Madleen and its crew were taken to the port city of Ashdod, about 30 km (19 miles) north of Gaza, where the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir asked the penitentiary authorities to hold militants in isolation, isolated from each other and the outside world.
The ship, which left Sicily on June 1, wore humanitarian aid for hungry Palestinians who have been under a strict Israeli blockage since March 2. The blockade was only partially relaxed last month in the middle of the growing international pressure.
Flatillas trying to break the seat of Israel from Gaza
Several Freedom Flatilla ships tried to break the Gaza blocking.
In 2008, two boats in the free movement of Gaza managed to reach Gaza, marking the first break from the naval blockade of Israel. The movement, founded in 2006 by activists during the War of Israel against Lebanon, launched 31 boats between 2008 and 2016, five of which reached Gaza despite strong Israeli restrictions.
Since 2010, all the Flatillas trying to break the Gaza blockade have been intercepted or attacked by Israel in international waters.
The map below shows the approximate locations where prominent flutils have been arrested, some meeting deadly Israeli forces.
2010 – Gaza Freedom Flatilla
In 2010, Israeli commandos made a descent into Mavi Marmara in international waters. The assault killed 10 activists and injured dozens, which led to world indignation. The ship carried humanitarian aid and more than 600 passengers.
Mavi Marmara was detained and led by the Humanitarian Relief Foundation, or IHH, a Turkish NGO. The incident seriously stretched Israel-Turkiye relations and has led to a large conviction for violating international law.
In 2013, Israel apologized for “operational errors” during the raid. A remuneration agreement is still being negotiated between the two countries. Israeli soldiers and officials who participated in the attack are tried in Turkiye for war crimes.
2011 – Freedom Flotilla II
Freedom Flotilla II was launched in 2011 to follow the 2010 mission. Organized by a coalition of international activists and NGOs, it aimed to break the blockade of Israel on Gaza and to provide humanitarian aid. Flatilla involved more than 300 participants from around the world and was ready to navigate 10 ships.
However, an intense diplomatic pressure from Israel, associated with a reported sabotage of ships and restrictions by host countries like Greece, prevented most of the boats from leaving.
Only Karama Dignite-Al almost reached Gaza. The French ship of 17 passengers initially declared an Egyptian port as a destination when leaving the Greek waters, but activists later announced that they were heading for Gaza. Israeli naval commandos intercepted the boat and towed it to Ashdod. The activists were detained for interrogation and then expelled.
2015 – Freedom Flotilla III
Freedom Flotilla III was launched in 2015 as the third major attempt by international activists to break the Israeli Gaza naval blockage. Organized by the FFC, the mission included several ships, with the Marianne de Gothenburg, struck by Swedish, leading the effort.
On June 29, 2015, the Israeli naval forces intercepted the Marianne about 100 naval miles from the Gaza coast, in international waters. Commandos rose aboard the ship and diverted it to Ashdod. Activists on board were detained and expelled later, some crew members released after six days.
2018 – Just the future of Palestine
The future just for Flotilla Palestine – also known as Gaza Freedom Flotilla 2018 – was part of a continuous effort from the FFC to challenge the naval blocking of Israel of Gaza. The campaign included two main ships, Al Awda (the return) and Freedom, as well as two support yachts, Mayorad and Falestine.
On July 29 and August 3, 2018, Al Awda and Freedom were intercepted and seized by the Israeli navy in international waters. All on board were arrested, some reports being tassed, attacked or beaten by Israeli forces.
Most participants were held in detention before being expelled in their respective countries.
2025 – Break the “conscience” seat
While preparing to sail in Gaza on May 2, the conscience was hit twice by armed drones, only 14 naval miles (25 km) off Malta. The attack sparked a fire and caused a significant violation in the hull, forcing the 30 Turkish and Azérant activists on board in a desperate effort to bail out the water and keep the ship afloat.
Four people have undergone minor injuries in the assault, including burns and lacerations.
Gaza facing famine
According to the latest classification report for the integrated food security phase (IPC), one in five Palestinians in Gaza is faced with famine due to the total blocking of three months of the band, relaxed in part last month, allowing a certain food aid.
Some 1.95 million people, or 93% of the enclosure population, face acute food shortages.
The IPC claims that the continuous blockade of Israel “would probably lead to an additional mass movement within and between governors”, because the elements essential to the survival of people will be exhausted.
Despite a help distribution initiative led by the United States and supported by the United States, called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which began to provide assistance to Gaza last month, its new distribution center has disintegrated in chaos in the hours following the opening on May 27 and was tainted by atrocities after fatal shootings in aid distribution centers.
Eighteen years of Israeli blockade
The Gaza Strip has a population of around 2.3 million living in one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
Since 2007, Israel has maintained strict control over the airspace and territorial waters of Gaza and has limited the movement of goods and people in and outside Gaza.
Even before the war, Gaza had no functional airports after Israel bombed and demolished Yasser Arafat International Airport in 2001, only three years after its opening.
Gaza is again the scene of generalized destruction and human suffering, and remains the place often described as “the biggest outdoor prison in the world”.