Mazzaltov World News provides you with the latest live coverage of Current Affairs, Sports, Health, Weather, Entertainment, Business and Travel News. Here’s where things stand on Monday 9 June 2025:
- The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the Madleen’s crew is being taken to Israel after Israeli commandos seized the vessel in international waters.
- The Madleen ship, launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was close to 100 miles [160km] from Gaza when it was stopped.
- The ship was carrying humanitarian aid to Palestinians starving because of Israel’s siege. Israel’s most recent total blockade began on March 2, and has only partially lifted under mounting international pressure.
- Israel has killed more than 54,000 people in Gaza during this war after maintaining a land, sea and air blockade since 2007.
- The Madleen departed Sicily on June 1, one month after Israeli drones bombed another aid ship headed for Gaza. Climate activist Greta Thunberg is among the 12 activists now being detained by Israel.
Social media users push back against Israel’s ‘selfie yacht’ jab
Social media users are sharing photographs of Israeli soldiers taking selfies in Gaza in response to the Foreign Ministry calling the Madleen the “selfie yacht”.
In one post on X, Assal Rad, a fellow at the rights group DAWN, wrote “selfie yacht” next to a photograph of Israeli soldiers posing in front of destroyed buildings in Gaza.
Mitchell Plitnick, the president of NGO ReThinking Foreign Policy, also shared photographs of Israeli soldiers in Gaza, saying: “The Israeli government calls the humanitarian flotilla, the Madleen ‘the selfie yacht’. So what do we call the Israeli army?”
Israeli soldiers have continued to share photographs and videos of themselves making fun of Palestinians in Gaza since invading the Strip in late 2023.
Australian Jewish group calls for release of Madleen crew
The Jewish Council of Australia has expressed “grave concerns for the activists on board the Gaza Freedom Flotilla” after it was intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces.
“We call on the Australian government to urgently intervene to secure the immediate release of the vessel and safety of the crew,” Sarah Schwartz, the council’s executive officer, said in a statement.
“Israel has a history of killing activists trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and cannot be trusted to ensure the safety of the Freedom Flotilla crew,” she added.
Schwartz also decried the “continued inaction of western governments” over Israeli breaches of international law.
“It has been months since meaningful humanitarian aid entered Gaza, with Palestinians in Gaza now at risk of imminent starvation and death,” she said.
Israel’s defence minister orders military to screen video of October 7 atrocities for detained activists
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has congratulated the Israeli military on its “swift” takeover of the Madleen.
In a statement on X, Katz said he has instructed the military to screen a video documenting the Hamas-led October 7 attack for the detained activists upon their arrival at Israel’s Ashdod Port.
He also repeated unfounded claims that Greta Thunberg – the Swedish activist with the Madleen – is “anti-Semitic” and supports Hamas.
Katz said it would be “appropriate” for Thunberg and the other activists to witness footage of the “atrocious acts” committed during the October 7 assault.
‘Madleen was sailing peacefully and lawfully in international waters’
Al Jazeera spoke to Freedom Flotilla organiser Huwaida Arraf shortly after she and the rest of the ship’s support crew lost contact with the Madleen.
“All those on board have been abducted. They have been taken against their will while they were sailing peacefully and lawfully in international waters,” said Arraf.
“They were in international waters, sailing towards Palestinian territorial waters, not getting near Israeli waters,” she added.
“It needs to be made very clear that Israel has absolutely no jurisdiction, no lawful authority, to take over this vessel.”
‘Madleen was sailing peacefully and lawfully in international waters’
Al Jazeera spoke to Freedom Flotilla organiser Huwaida Arraf shortly after she and the rest of the ship’s support crew lost contact with the Madleen.
“All those on board have been abducted. They have been taken against their will while they were sailing peacefully and lawfully in international waters,” said Arraf.
“They were in international waters, sailing towards Palestinian territorial waters, not getting near Israeli waters,” she added.
“It needs to be made very clear that Israel has absolutely no jurisdiction, no lawful authority, to take over this vessel.”
Hamas calls Madleen seizure ‘state terrorism’
The group has issued a statement slamming Israel’s takeover of the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship, whose seizure it said amounts to “organised state terrorism”.
“We salute the brave activists from various nationalities who stood firm in the face of threats and reaffirmed that Gaza is not alone,” it said.
Hamas said the Madleen convoy and other Gaza-bound humanitarian convoys from Algeria, Tunisia and Jordan are “living testimony to the failure” of Israel’s “propaganda machine”.
It also urged for the activists’ release and for the United Nations to condemn the seizure.
“The seizure of the Madleen will not silence the voice of the free, nor will it stop the growing global solidarity with Gaza,” Hamas said.
Palestinian Mujahideen Movement condemns Israeli seizure of Madleen ship
In a statement, the Palestinian group said that it “strongly condemns the barbaric attack” against the Madleen, calling it “an act of international piracy” and a “flagrant violation of all international norms and laws”.
It demanded that Israel “immediately release” the crew, who it said have “risked their lives in response to the free conscience, morals and human values” that Israel is violating in Gaza.
The group urged people across the world to continue “organising events and convoys that express the global conscience in support of and solidarity with our people in Gaza”.
Australian senator says Israeli attack on Madleen ‘clear breach of international law’
David Shoebridge from the Australian Greens says, “The Israeli military attacking a boat full of unarmed activists bringing food and medicine to Gaza is a clear breach of international law.”
The attack “should be strongly condemned and have consequences”, Shoebridge added, before calling on the Australian government to “impose immediate sanctions on the Israeli arms industry and the Netanyahu Government”.
All the prerecorded videos from the people onboard the Madleen
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has posted prerecorded videos by nearly all of the people on board the Madleen.
The videos were prepared in case Israel intercepted the Gaza-bound boat. They call on supporters to speak up and pressure governments to act to release the activists and to end Israel’s war on Gaza.
Palestinian rights organisation calls Madleen crew to be released
Al-Haq has strongly condemned Israel’s “unlawful interception” of the Madleen in international waters, calling for the “immediate release of all those detained”.
“Israel has no legal authority to restrict access to Palestine, since such is within the exclusive right of the Palestinian people,” the Ramallah-based rights organisation said in a statement.
“Israel’s manufacture of famine as a tool of genocide, and its blockade of Gaza, is designed to isolate, fragment and destroy the Palestinian people.”
Rima Hassan predicted the Madleen’s interception
Member of the European Parliament, Rima Hassan, also prerecorded a message to be shared in the event of her detention.
In it, she echoed the message of her shipmates, calling on supporters to pressure her government to act on behalf of all the French crew members on board.
Hours before the Madleen was intercepted, Hassan had recorded another, more candid video, which she shared on X, formerly Twitter.
In that, she told supporters that she expected that the Madleen would be intercepted, that the people on board would lose their phones and other belongings, and that they would be handcuffed and taken to Ashdod, where, she said, they would be interrogated.
Madleen crew ‘must be released immediately’
Here’s more from UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who was on the phone with the Madleen crew when they were detained.
“Madleen must be released immediately,” she said in a post on X.
“Breaking the siege is a legal duty for states, and a moral imperative for all of us,” Albanese added.
“Every Mediterranean port should send boats with aid, solidarity, and humanity to Gaza. They shall sail together—united, they will be unstoppable.”
Israeli forces intercept Gaza-bound aid ship, the Madleen
Video shows the moment the Madleen was intercepted and the activists and journalists on board were ordered to throw their mobile phones into the sea.
Al Jazeera’s Omar Faiad continued reporting on the interception until contact was severed.
What was the white substance Israel sprayed on the Madleen?
Before contact was lost with the activists on board, they said Israel had sprayed a thick, white, paint-like substance onto the boat.
The “paint” was an irritant, causing burning eyes and general discomfort. But what was it exactly?
There are a number of theories, including that it was “skunk water”, a chemical irritant Israel favours using on crowds, but the substance seemed too thick.
The most likely theory is that it was a substance used to enhance the “trackability” of a vessel, containing:
- Phosphorescent particles that react to specific light wavelengths, or
- Magnetic particles that can be detected and identified using magnetic fields, or
- Particles that enhance the visibility of objects on radar.
Silence from governments ‘beyond words’
Mouin Rabbani, a non-resident fellow at the Qatar-based Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, says the “absolute silence” from the Madleen crew members’ governments reflects Israeli impunity.
“If any other state had sent its military forces to seize a small civilian boat carrying 12 unarmed civilians to deliver food, baby formula and crutches to a besieged population, it would immediately be recognised for the act of state piracy that it indisputably is,” Rabbani told Al Jazeera.
“But for Israel, there’s always an exception.”
“This is not only an act of state piracy. It’s in direct violation of the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ),” Rabbani added, noting that the court has emphasised “the need for the unhindered delivery of humanitarian supplies to the besieged population of the Gaza Strip.”
If you’re just joining us
Here are the recent developments:
- The crew on board the Madleen said that four speedboats approached their ship just after 1am local time (22:00 GMT).
- Yasemin Acar told Al Jazeera from onboard that two of the boats remained nearby. “We are very close to Gaza, approximately 100 miles [161km] away,” she said.
- Two drones then approached the ship, reportedly spraying a white substance on the crew.
- A video of the crew on board taken just before their communications were cut showed them sitting with their hands raised and following an order to throw their phones into the sea.
- The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs then said the crew were being taken to the Israeli Port of Ashdod.
Who are the activists Israel detained from the Madleen?
Here’s a reminder of the people on board the Madleen, who have been taken from international waters by Israeli commandos.
They are being taken to the port of Ashdod by Israeli authorities.
Baptiste Andre: A French activist and doctor who is expected to assist passengers or demonstrators injured in possible confrontations with Israeli forces
Greta Thunberg: Swedish climate activist, 22, who became internationally renowned for her environmental advocacy.
Marco van Rennes: Activist and member of the Dutch Boat to Gaza.
Omar Faiad: The Al Jazeera Mubasher journalist has asthma and uses an inhaler and medications that he absolutely has to have with him every day, according to his wife, Dina.
Pascal Maurieras: A French activist and sailor who was on board the Freedom ship, a previous Freedom Flotilla voyage, in 2018. He was detained and interrogated by Israel then.
Reva Viard: A French activist known for her involvement in various humanitarian causes.
Rima Hassan: A French Palestinian Member of the European Parliament representing the Green Party.
Sergio Toribio: The Spanish activist and member of the Spanish Boat to Gaza is also a member of the marine conservation NGO Sea Shepherd.
Suayb Ordu: The Turkish activist has been married to Sümmeyra Mittelmeer since 2017. They have been involved in volunteer projects supporting Palestine for years.
Thiago Avila: The Brazilian activist is the father of a six-month-old daughter and coordinator of Freedom Flotilla Brazil as well as a member of the Steering Committee of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
Yanis Mhamdi: A French journalist from the platform “Blast”.
Yasemin Acar: The 37-year-old activist from Germany has been an activist since the age of 15, advocating for refugees and human rights, and against anti-Muslim racism. She was born in Germany to Kurdish parents from Turkiye.
Israeli MFA shares video of detained crew
We’re choosing not to share the post, which shows the Madleen’s crew on a speed boat wearing life vests and again describes the ship as a “selfie yacht”.
“The Israeli Foreign Ministry would be wise to stop posting videos accompanied by insults,” said Adil Haque, a law professor at Rutgers University and the executive editor of Just Security.
“Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment, are a war crime,” Haque added, in a post on X.
“The vessel was registered in the United Kingdom,” he said, noting that the UK is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), meaning that its laws apply.
‘If you’re watching this, I’ve been kidnapped… we count on you’: Thiago Avila
Brazilian activist Thiago Avila also posted a video he recorded in case of the Madleen being intercepted.
In it, he says that if the video is published, then he has been “arrested or kidnapped by Israel or another complicit force”.
He went on to call on supporters to pressure his government and the governments of the other activists on board to release them from captivity, sever ties with Israel, end its genocide in Gaza, and lift the siege.
US Muslim group says Israeli attack on Madleen a ‘blatant act’ of piracy
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned Israel seizing the Freedom Flotilla ship and its crew.
“We strongly condemn the cowardly and illegal Israeli attack on the Madleen’s as it approached Gaza with desperately-need humanitarian supplies,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.
“This is a blatant act of international piracy and state terrorism,” he said.
“The Israeli occupation has no legal right to blockade the Gaza coast, much less to drop chemical weapons on humanitarian aid boats and abduct their passengers in international waters,” Awad added.
Awad called on the Israeli government to immediately release the ship’s crew.
“We applaud Greta Thunberg and the other activists of the Madleen who bravely risked their safety and freedom to help the starving people of Gaza,” he said.
Israel does not have authority over Gaza
The Israeli MFA shared a video of the Israeli navy to change course because the maritime zone off the coast if Gaza is “closed to naval traffic”.
“If you wish to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, you’re able to do so through the port of Ashdod,” the Israeli officer says. “We have established channels and distribution centres.”
However, UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese told Al Jazeera this is not accurate.
“Israel has no authority over Gaza. This is the thing. Israel needs to end the siege.”
“The people of Gaza need to be helped.”
Israeli MFA says Madleen being taken to Israel’s Ashdod port
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Israeli authorities intercepted the Madleen.
“The ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the shores of Israel,” the ministry said in a post on X.
The post accused “Greta and others” of attempting “to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity”. The post also claimed that sufficient aid has reached Gaza in the past two weeks.
However, Israeli forces have repeatedly fired on Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza after allowing some food to return to the Strip following its longest-ever total blockade.
Dozens of people have been killed while trying to reach aid distribution sites, including at least 13 Palestinians on Sunday alone.
‘I just want them to come home’: Suayb Ordu’s wife speaks to Al Jazeera
Sumeyra Mittelmeer, wife of Turkish activist Suayb Ordu and a fellow activist, spoke to Al Jazeera Mubasher after contact was lost with the Madleen.
“We were on the phone, and I heard the alarm,” she said. “They were preparing their life jackets… then the connection was severed, and I’ve been following Al Jazeera for updates.
“I just want them to come home safe. My dream was that they would reach Gaza, but even if they don’t, I am with them with all my being.”
She concluded by saying that such setbacks will not stop the work of activists who are working to help the Palestinian people, and that they will try again and again.