TEHRAN - In the early hours of Monday, Israeli naval forces forcibly intercepted the British-flagged aid vessel Madleen in international waters, detaining the unarmed crew and passengers, including Greenpeace activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan, aiming to deliver badly needed humanitarian supplies to Gaza.

The operation, which activists and legal scholars call an act of piracy and abduction, is just another step in the growing aggression with which Israel enforces its blockade on the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Distortion will not work 

The Madleen, run by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), departed from Catania, Italy, with baby formula, rice, medical supplies, and other essentials, hoping to break Israel’s naval blockade and spotlight the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Nearing the shores of Gaza, the vessel was surrounded by, and boarded by, Israeli commandos from Shayetet 13, with drone and quadcopter support, an irritant white powder was dispersed on board, and all communications were shut down. According to the activists, the situation descended into panic and confusion as they were ordered to raise their hands, struggle into life jackets, and prepare for detention.

The Israeli authorities had confirmed to have seized control of the vessel, detained all twelve activists aboard, and brought it for interrogation and deportation to Ashdod. 

The Israeli regime defended the operation as a legitimate security measure. According to the Israeli war minister, Israel Katz, "all means necessary" were employed to thwart any attempt of breaking the blockade.

The Israeli regime’s officials claimed the humanitarian mission is a "publicity stunt," labeled the activists as "Hamas propaganda spokespeople". However, these falsifications will not change the people’s opinion about Israel’s hidden intention.

Global outrage and condemnation

The global response to Israel’s seizure of the Madleen was swift and sharply critical. Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, demanded the immediate release of the vessel and its crew, calling the breaking of the Gaza siege a legal and moral imperative, and urging Mediterranean ports to send more aid ships.

Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard condemned the interception as a “chilling contempt” for international law, stressing Israel’s obligation to ensure safe access to essential supplies for Gaza and demanding the activists’ unconditional release. 

The Turkish government labeled the raid a “heinous act” and “clear violation of international law,” branding Israel a “terror state” and calling for international measures to halt its brutality. European lawmakers and NGOs denounced the action as a blatant violation of law and part of a strategy to starve Gaza. Greenpeace and Palestinian groups echoed these calls, labeling the seizure piracy and demanding urgent intervention.

Israel’s broader blockade strategy

The Madleen incident starkly illustrates Israel’s uncompromising and multi-layered strategy for enforcing its naval blockade of Gaza. Israel deploys military force—even in international waters—to preemptively intercept any vessel attempting to breach the blockade, claiming such missions pose a direct security threat regardless of their humanitarian intent. 

By redirecting intercepted aid to its own tightly controlled channels, Israel maintains strict oversight over what enters Gaza, a policy critics contend deliberately throttles life-saving supplies and exacerbates Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Simultaneously, Israeli authorities work to discredit activists by labeling them as Hamas sympathizers or mere propagandists, aiming to undermine international solidarity efforts and deter future challenges. 

Despite mounting global condemnation, Israel’s strategy is sustained by robust Western political backing, which insulates it diplomatically and enables continued and suffocating blockade.

Humanitarian and political consequences

Interception of the Madleen has stirred much debate about Israel's blockade, about the activists' rights, and about the humanitarian emergency in Gaza. 

Although the mission of the Madleen has been canceled, it has successfully brought to light the extreme measures Israel has resorted to in order to maintain its siege, the complicity of allies, and the urgent need for the international community to resist Gaza's agony.

The flotilla journey may seem mostly symbolic, but it further tarnished Israel’s image in the world, which has been pounding Gaza, displacing, killing, and starving its 2.3 million population since October 2023. 

“The Madleen may have been stopped at sea, but its message travels far: The blockade is not invisible, nor will it be forever. Each intercepted vessel, each detained activist, each act of defiance reaffirms that Gaza is not forgotten – and that until freedom is restored and justice achieved, the sea will remain a front line in the struggle for Palestinian liberation,”  Yara Hawari,  co-director of Al-Shabaka, wrote in Al Jazeera.