Israeli Navy Intercepts Gaza Aid Ship Carrying Greta Thunberg, 12 Activists

The pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla aimed to break the Israeli blockade to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza but was intercepted by Israeli naval forces, who redirected the vessel to the port of Ashdod and detained the activists, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan. Thunberg, unaware of some crew members' alleged support for Hamas and Hezbollah, was deported to Sweden and banned from Israel for 100 years along with other activists. The French government arranged consular access for its nationals among the detained, with some expelled and others awaiting judicial decisions. Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian lawyer born in Syria and a newly elected member of the European Parliament, has been vocally critical of Israel's actions in Gaza and actively involved in refugee protection. Despite the mission's failure to reach Gaza, activists succeeded in drawing international attention to the humanitarian crisis and the Israeli blockade. The flotilla's interception and subsequent deportations highlight ongoing tensions surrounding aid delivery and political activism related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.