Israeli navy intercepts ‘selfie yacht’ carrying Thunberg and others en route to Gaza; passengers to be shown graphic terror footage at Ashdod port
Climate activist Greta Thunberg and a group of international campaigners will be shown graphic footage of the October 7 Hamas terror attacks after Israeli forces intercepted their vessel en route to Gaza, according to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The yacht, Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was seized by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday as it attempted to breach Israel’s longstanding naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. Thunberg and 11 other passengers — including Irish actor Liam Cunningham — were onboard the British-flagged aid ship when it was intercepted in international waters.
Israeli defense minister orders footage screening
“I congratulate the IDF for the quick and safe takeover of the Madleen flotilla to prevent them from breaking the blockade and reaching the shores of Gaza,” said Defense Minister Israel Katz in a statement posted to X.
“I instructed the IDF to show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre when they arrive at the port of Ashdod,” he added.
Katz further remarked: “It is appropriate that the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas supporters see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organization they came to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself.”
Aid mission or political provocation?
Thunberg and her fellow activists have described the voyage as a humanitarian effort to deliver aid to Gaza, where Israel has continued military operations following the October 7 attacks. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the mission, has conducted similar maritime protests for over a decade.
Thunberg alleged in a Telegram post that the Madleen was “intercepted” and that she and the other passengers had effectively been “kidnapped” by Israeli forces in international waters.
Photos from the scene showed the IDF boarding the vessel while the activists raised their hands. In one widely circulated image, Thunberg is seen smiling as an Israeli soldier offers her a sandwich. Another shows an IDF member handing out bottled water to the activists.
Israeli officials label it a PR stunt
Israel dismissed the flotilla as a publicity operation rather than a genuine humanitarian effort. The Israeli Foreign Ministry referred to the vessel as a “selfie yacht,” referencing the smiling images shared online by the activists prior to departure.
“The ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are safe and were provided with sandwiches and water,” the ministry posted on X.
International implications
The interception and the planned showing of Hamas terror footage to foreign nationals, including well-known figures like Thunberg and Cunningham, is likely to intensify diplomatic scrutiny of Israel’s tactics in its ongoing war against Hamas.
The Israeli government maintains that the naval blockade is a necessary security measure to prevent weapons smuggling and that attempts to breach it, even under the guise of aid, serve Hamas’s interests.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has yet to comment on the Israeli government’s latest decision. Meanwhile, the Madleen is expected to dock at Ashdod under military escort, where its passengers will undergo security procedures and be shown the graphic documentation of the October 7 atrocities—a move Israeli officials say is meant to underscore the gravity of the threat posed by Hamas.
