Israel has said Greta Thunberg is 'safe and in good spirits' after officials intercepted her 'selfie yacht' when it entered the sea close to Gaza.
The country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) shared an image of the Swedish climate change activist happily accepting some bread from an Israeli soldier, after she complained about them 'kidnapping' her hours before.
Thunberg, 22, made the claim in a pre-recorded Instagram video shared from on board the Madleen 'freedom flotilla', which intended to deliver aid to Palestine.
Israel's MFA mocked the activist's 'selfie yacht' carrying 12 'celebrity' activists as they intercepted it, saying the 'tiny amount of aid' on board would be 'transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels'.
'The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,' the government department wrote in a statement shared on X.
'While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included less than a single truckload of aid — more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks, and in addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza.
'There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies.
'The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the “celebrities” will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels.'
Greta Thunberg's 'freedom flotilla' crew members have posted videos claiming they have been 'intercepted and kidnapped' by IDF troops while sailing towards Gaza
An image released in a press release by FFC shows an apparent storming of the ship by Israeli forces
Freedom flotilla member Yasemin Acar defiantly said the activists would not be returning to Catania, Sicily, from where they set off last Sunday
Activist Greta Thunberg sits aboard the aid ship Madleen, which left the Italian port of Catania on June 1 to travel to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid
In a video posted to her Instagram page earlier on Sunday, Thunberg, 22, said: 'If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel.
'I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible,' she added in the clip recorded on board the Madleen ship.
Israel has been blockading the Mediterranean Sea beside Gaza to prevent Hamas from importing arms.
The country's foreign ministry said on Sunday night that Thunberg's 'selfie yacht of celebrities' was 'safely making its way to the shores of Israel' where the 12 people on board would be promptly deported.
Footage shared to X before the IFM confirmed it had intercepted the vessel showed crew members rushing for cover and urging others on board to 'assume positions' as the drones allegedly swarmed overhead.
'Please get into position, it's a quadcopter, take cover,' Member Thiago Avila was heard saying in a clip. He then goes on to urge Thunberg to take cover.
'Please sound the alarm, we are surrounded by Israeli drones, the same ones that bombed our boats one month ago,' he added.
In a separate video, Avila claims the ship is under attack and has been sprayed with an unknown substance.
In a press release following the attack, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) wrote: 'The FFC confirms that its civilian ship, Madleen, carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, has been attacked/forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military at 3:02 am CET in international waters.
'The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated'.
Earlier, vessels were said to have been surrounding the Madleen causing the crew to raise the alarm, but in an update, Freedom flotilla dubbed the incident a 'very unlikely false alarm' as the ships ultimately ended up going their own way.
Avila took to Instagram to tell supporters that the vessel was approached by many boats at the same time before circling them and disappearing.
'It can be IOF vessels, it can be a strategy to come from behind us with their lights off, we're not sure,' he said.
The group live streamed much of the said 'attack' - before the IDM confirmed troops had boarded the vessel
Israel said the group will be 'expected to return to their home countries
Avila reassured that all members on board are trained to get into position and put on life jackets in the case of an emergency, which is why the alarm was raised.
Yasemin Acar, also a Freedom flotilla member, said the crew are now 'very close to Gaza' and that the crew are safe, with no interception taking place.
'The reason we sounded the alarm is because two vessels... came 200 metres close to our vessel, this has never happened before in the past eight days,' she said.
'This is why we sounded the alarm. There are many lights around us and two vessels I'm looking at right now, the other two have left, but these two, one of them has a platform and they stopped their engine and they're not moving.
'We have reason to believe this is psychological warfare and they have planned this,' she said.
Initially, five vessels were said to be surrounding Freedom flotilla, with the captain instructing the team to stay calm and seated with their passports and lifejackets on, according to a UN special reporter with the group.
Francesca Albanese wrote on X: 'I hear them speaking with Israeli soldiers as I type... telling [them] they are carrying humanitarian aid and going in peace. For the time being they are just circled. I am with them, recording everything.'
Israel's Foreign Ministry took to X to claim: 'The yacht is claiming that it is delivering humanitarian aid. In fact, it is a media gimmick for publicity (which includes less than a single truckload of aid) - a 'selfie yacht'.
'Humanitarian aid is delivered regularly and effectively via different channels and routes, and is transferred through established distribution mechanisms. Over the past two weeks, more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza.
'The Gaza maritime zone remains an active conflict area, and Hamas has previously exploited sea routes for terrorist attacks, including the October 7th massacre. Unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts.
'We call on all actors to act responsibly and to channel humanitarian aid through legitimate, coordinated mechanisms, not through provocation'.
They also said: 'The Israeli Navy is currently communicating with the 'selfie yacht'.
'Using an international civilian communication system, the Israeli Navy has instructed the 'selfie yacht' to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area'.
It comes as the Jerusalem Post reports that the IDF's naval unit, Shayetet 13 has already begun training for the ship's boarding.
A security source told Maariv that Shayetet 13 and the Israeli Navy would have no issue boarding the vessel.
'It's a small and low-profile sailboat with a small auxiliary engine, so it sails slowly. We'll have no problem boarding it once it enters Israeli waters.'
Freedom flotilla previously claimed they 'will not turn back' as they journey to Gaza despite Israel vowing famous activist Ms Thunberg will never arrive at the war-torn city.
Taking to Instagram, member Yasemin Acar defiantly said the activists would not be returning to Catania, Sicily, from where they set off last Sunday.
'We are unarmed, we are peaceful, we are carrying only humanitarian aid, food, medicine, and supplies desperately needed by the starving population in Gaza,' she said.
'We are not a threat here, the threat is the blockade, the threat is the bombs, the threat is the ongoing starvation of an entire population.
'The threat is the systematic killing of civilians, the threat is genocide. If Israel was not occupying Palestine, if there wasn't nearly 80 years of ethnic cleansing, if our own governments weren't giving Israel full impunity, arming it instead of holding it accountable, if they sent aid instead of bombs we would not be here,' Acar added.
'We are here because our leaders have failed, because silence is complicity, because human lives are being treated as expendable.
'We are here for Gaza. If Israel uses violence against us, a peaceful humanitarian mission, it will be yet another war crime added to the long and growing list of Israel.
'We refuse to be intimidated, we refuse to be silent, we stand with Gaza, we stand with the people, we stand for justice, dignity and life. The blockade must end, the killing must stop, the world must act,' she concluded.
The Israeli army have reportedly announced the deployment of three commandos and 25 soldiers to attempt to stop the flotilla, which is now less than 24 hours away from the coast of Gaza.
The message comes after Israel issued an ominous warning to Greta Thunberg, claiming the environmental activist will not make it to the Gaza Strip on her 'freedom flotilla'.
Ms Thunberg, 22, is among 12 activists on board the ship, hoping to 'break [Israel's] siege on the Gaza Strip' with a delivery of humanitarian aid.
She is joined by Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French MEP, aiming to raise awareness of the ongoing crisis in the region.
The vessel is expected to reach Gaza this weekend, having set off from Catania in Sicily last Sunday.
But the Israel Defence Forces has now been ordered to stop the ship in its tracks and has accused Ms Thunberg of being an 'antisemite travelling with Hamas propogandists'.
Greta Thunberg pictured on the Madleen 'freedom flotilla'. Israel has said she will not make it to the Gaza Strip
![Ms Thunberg is among 12 activists on board the ship, pictured, hoping to 'break [Israel's] siege on the Gaza Strip' with a delivery of humanitarian aid](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/06/09/07/99065465-14792575-Ms_Thunberg_is_among_12_activists_on_board_the_ship_pictured_hop-a-72_1749452252764.jpg)
Ms Thunberg is among 12 activists on board the ship, pictured, hoping to 'break [Israel's] siege on the Gaza Strip' with a delivery of humanitarian aid
Defense Minister Israel Katz, pictured in August, said that Israel would not allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory
Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would not allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms.
'I have instructed the IDF to act so that the hate flotilla… does not reach the shores of Gaza – and to take all necessary measures to that end
'To the antisemitic Greta [Thunberg] and her friends who echo Hamas propaganda, I say clearly: You'd better turn back – because you will not reach Gaza,' he said.
'Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or to assist terrorist organisations – by sea, by air, and by land.'
Responding to Katz on Sunday, they said: 'The statement by Israel's defence minister is yet another example of Israel threatening the unlawful use of force against civilians – and attempting to justify that violence with smears.
'We will not be intimidated,' it added. 'The world is watching.'
'We are monitoring the situation closely,' the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said.
'We remain calm, resolute, and prepared for the possibility of an Israeli attack. We reiterate our call to world governments to demand that Israel stand down. Israel has no right to obstruct our effort to reach Gaza.'
The activists had said they planned to reach Gaza's territorial waters as early as Sunday.
Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist on board the boat, posted a video on social media on Sunday afternoon saying someone appeared to be jamming their tracking and communication devices about 160 nautical miles from Gaza.
Ms Hassan, who is of Palestinian descent, is among the others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians.
It was previously reported that the IDF had begun deploying security forces in the area the vessel was due to land in, according to the Jerusalem Post.
A senior Israeli defence source told the outlet that Israel will not allow the ship to enter Gaza, and that the activists face arrest if they disobey the military.
Military sources said the activists will be told clearly not to enter the area, and that the elite forces are preparing for the eventuality they defy the order or 'provoke' the IDF.
The IDF may take control of the vessel, arrest the protestors and transfer them to the port in Ashdod to be deported, the outlet reports.
The Israeli Army said previously that it is 'prepared' to raid the ship, as it has done with previous freedom flotilla efforts.
She is joined by Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham, pictured in May, aiming to raise awareness of the ongoing crisis in the region
Rima Hassan, pictured in November, is among the others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians
The IDF has begun deploying security forces in the area, JPost reported this week
'For this case as well, we are prepared,' IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said. 'We have gained experience in recent years, and we will act accordingly.'
The activists have already raised concern for their safety, noting a drone attack on a Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship off the coast of Malta in May.
Thunberg's shipmate issued a drone alert on the 'third day of our journey to Gaza to break the siege'.
An Israeli drone operated by Greece's Hellenic Coastguard reportedly followed the Madleen flotilla, hovering above it for two consecutive nights on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Heron drone, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), is capable of carrying payloads up to 1,000kg and flying for 52 continuous hours.
The Madleen, still crossing the Mediterranean east towards Gaza, reportedly changed course this morning to respond to a migrant distress call.
Sources told Al Jazeera the ship had detected a migrant boat, estimated to be carrying around 40 asylum seekers.
Ahead of their departure on Sunday, Thunberg said: 'We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying'.
Shayetet 13, the IDF's elite naval commando unit pictured in a stock photo
An Israeli navy ship patrols off Zikim beach in southwestern Israel near the border with Gaza, March 29, 2024 (Stock Photo)
'Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it's not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide,' she added.
Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, has adamantly rejected genocide allegations against it as an anti-Semitic 'blood libel'.
Fellow activist Thiago Avila said: 'We are breaking the siege of Gaza by sea, but that's part of a broader strategy of mobilizations that will also attempt to break the siege by land.'
Avila cited the upcoming Global March to Gaza - an international initiative also open to doctors, lawyers and media - which is set to leave Egypt and reach the Rafah crossing in mid-June to stage a protest there, asking Israel to stop the Gaza offensive and reopen the border.
Israel imposed a blockade on supplies into Gaza on March 2, and limited aid began to enter again late last month after pressure from allies and warnings of famine.
Food security experts one in five people in Gaza now face starvation after Israel enacted its blockade.
Gaza is almost completely reliant on international aid because Israel's offensive has destroyed nearly all food production capabilities.
In April, ActionAid reported that the price of flour in Gaza had soared to $300 a bag after more than 50 days without new aid deliveries.
People watch as smoke billows following an Israeli strike in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip on May 25, 2025
Smoke emerges from the site following an Israeli airstrike targeting the home of the Harb family at Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, June 1
Israeli tanks are positioned along the border with the Gaza Strip on June 5, 2025
Most people are now surviving on a single meal per day, consisting mostly of pasta, rice or canned food, it reported.
More than 3,700 children were newly admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition in March alone, it said, an 80 per cent rise on the previous month, per UNOCHA.
UN Security Council members criticised the US on Wednesday after it vetoed a resolution calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza, which Washington said undermined ongoing diplomacy.
It was the 15-member body's first vote on the situation since November, when the United States - a key Israeli ally - also blocked a text calling for an end to fighting.
The draft resolution had demanded 'an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties.'
It also called for the 'immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups,' and demanded the lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
But Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement after Wednesday's 14 to 1 vote: 'Today, the United States sent a strong message by vetoing a counterproductive UN Security Council resolution on Gaza targeting Israel.
'The United States will continue to stand with Israel at the UN.'
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251.
They are still holding 58 hostages, a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
