Chicago – June 09, 2025
A boat carrying aid to Gaza was taken by Israeli forces in international waters and brought to Ashdod Port. The boat had 12 international activists on board, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and French politician Rima Hassan. The activists were taken into custody and are expected to be held in a detention center before being sent back to their home countries.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the trip to raise awareness about the hunger crisis in Gaza, said the boat was seized early Monday morning about 200 kilometers from Gaza. They shared a video showing the activists with their hands up as Israeli forces boarded the ship.
A Palestinian legal group called Adalah said Israel had no legal right to stop the boat because it was in international waters and was heading to Palestinian waters, not Israeli ones. They called the arrests a serious violation of international law. Since the activists were detained, there has been no contact with them.
