Greta Thunberg Madleen boat branded 'a selfie yacht' as Israel hits back at activists

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has branded a boat carrying Greta Thunberg and 11 other activists planning to reach Gaza as a "selfie yacht".

Authorities intercepted the vessel in the Mediterranean Sea and took it - and the activists - to the port of Ashdod this morning. In a video posted on X, Swedish activist Greta said: "If you see this video, we are being intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel."

But, hitting back, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Israel accused "Greta and others" of attempting "to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity". They added: "With recent reports of a 'celebrities yacht' heading to Gaza, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to clarify the following:

"The maritime zone off the coast of Gaza is closed to unauthorised vessels under a legal naval blockade, consistent with international law. 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'."

The spokesperson continued: "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. Unauthorised 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."

It is understood a uniformed officer told the people onboard the Madleen that there are other means of delivering aid, before the ship was intercepted. The uniformed officer said, in a moment allegedly caught on camera, "established channels and distribution centres" had been set up.

"If you wish to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, you’re able to do so through the port of Ashdod. We have established channels and distribution centres," they reportedly told the activists.

Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz had warned on Sunday that Israel would not allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said is aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms. He added: "To the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propagandists – I will say this clearly: You should turn back, because you will not make it to Gaza."