Israel detains Greta Thunberg, intercepts Gaza aid flotilla

A video grab released by the Israeli Foreign Ministry on October 1, 2025, shows a soldier along with Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg after naval forces halted vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) and diverted passengers to an Israeli port.

When Thunberg boarded the flotilla, she joined hundreds of parliamentarians, lawyers, and campaigners in what organisers called a “non-violent humanitarian cause.

Their mission was to challenge Israel’s blockade on Gaza and deliver food, water, and medicine directly to civilians.

Israel's foreign ministry claims that it warned the approaching vessel that it was "approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful naval blockade". It aksed the vessel send the aid to Gaza through approved channels, where the contents would be subjected to security screening.

Instead, the journey ended in confrontation, fuelling protests, diplomatic disputes, and fresh scrutiny of Israel’s long-standing blockade.

The flotilla’s mission

The GSF departed Barcelona on August 31 with more than 40 boats carrying around 500 participants, later joined by vessels from Spain, Italy, and Turkey.

Organisers described the mission as humanitarian and symbolic, aimed at spotlighting Gaza’s worsening conditions since Hamas took control in 2007.

Supporters insisted direct delivery was vital, as Israel restricts aid entering the enclave.

Israel’s interception

On Wednesday evening, Israeli forces stopped the first vessels around 70 nautical miles off Gaza.

Footage released by Israel showed Thunberg flanked by armed soldiers.

A Foreign Ministry statement said: “Several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port. Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.”

Organisers accused Israel of using force, claiming one boat was “deliberately rammed” and others “targeted with water cannons.”

Activist footage appeared to show the vessel Yulara being sprayed.

No injuries were reported, though communications were cut off.

By Thursday morning, 13 boats had been diverted, while organisers said 30 others were pressing forward.

Israel’s stance

Israel said the flotilla ignored warnings and tried to breach a “lawful blockade” during wartime, offering Ashkelon instead as an entry point for aid.

Officials called the mission “political theatre.” Israel's Ambassador to Italy Jonathan Peled wrote that “this systematic refusal (to hand over the aid) demonstrates that the objective is not humanitarian, but provocative.”

UN envoy Danny Danon added it was a “PR stunt” and said participants would be deported after Yom Kippur.

Claims of Hamas links

Israel also alleged flotilla organisers were tied to Hamas, citing documents in Gaza linking them to the Palestinian Conference for Palestinians (PCPA), described as Hamas’s overseas network.

A letter from Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was reportedly among the documents.

Israel designated the PCPA a terrorist organisation in 2021. Organisers dismissed these allegations as propaganda.

Global backlash

The interception provoked strong reactions worldwide. Turkey denounced it as “an act of terror” amid protests in Istanbul. Colombian President Gustavo Petro expelled Israel’s diplomatic mission and suspended a free trade agreement, declaring: “The free trade agreement with Israel is denounced immediately. The entire Israeli diplomatic delegation in Colombia is leaving.”

Malaysia confirmed eight of its citizens were detained, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim accusing Israel of showing “utter contempt not only for the rights of the Palestinian people but also for the conscience of the world.”

France and Italy adopted a more cautious tone: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged Israel to ensure detainees’ safety, while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said “the matter should end without damage.”

Protests also broke out in Italy, Greece, Tunisia, Argentina, and Turkey. Italian unions called a general strike in solidarity with Gaza, while demonstrators filled streets in Rome, Pisa, Florence, and Turin.

What lies ahead

Thunberg had previously been detained by Israel during a smaller Gaza-bound voyage earlier this year and deported. Officials signalled similar deportations for those aboard the GSF after Yom Kippur.

Thirty boats were still attempting to reach Gaza as of Thursday, while Spain, Italy, and Turkey reportedly deployed naval assets to track the situation. Organisers appealed to governments and international institutions to secure the activists’ “immediate safety and release.”

The episode highlights the wider conflict: nearly two years into Israel’s military campaign following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, Gaza remains devastated, with health officials reporting over 65,000 deaths.

The UN-backed food security body has warned of famine, calling the crisis “man-made.”

Israel argues Hamas exploits humanitarian cover to smuggle weapons.

Activists counter that aid routed through Israel is insufficient and politicised.

For Thunberg and others, the flotilla was designed to put Israel’s blockade to the test—and force the world to pay attention.