Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel would not allow anyone to breach its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he argued was necessary to prevent Hamas from acquiring weapons.
“To the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas proponents — let me be clear: You should turn back, as you will not reach Gaza,” he articulated in a statement.
Thunberg, a climate activist, is one of 12 individuals aboard the Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The vessel set sail from Sicily last Sunday in an effort to break the maritime blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian assistance, all the while raising awareness of the escalating humanitarian crisis 20 months into the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The activists mentioned they aimed to arrive at Gaza’s territorial waters by Sunday.
Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist on the boat, shared a video on social media Sunday afternoon indicating that their tracking and communication devices appeared to be jammed about 160 nautical miles from Gaza.
Among the others on board is Rima Hassan, a French European Parliament member of Palestinian descent, who has been denied entry into Israel due to her opposition to Israeli policies regarding Palestinians.
Following a 2½-month complete blockade intended to pressure Hamas, Israel began permitting some essential aid into Gaza last month. However, humanitarian workers have warned of impending famine unless the blockade is lifted and the military offensive is halted.
A previous attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea was thwarted when another vessel from the group was attacked by two drones while navigating in international waters off Malta. The group accused Israel of the assault, which caused damage to the ship’s front section.
Since Hamas took control from rival Palestinian factions in 2007, Israel and Egypt have enforced varying levels of blockade on Gaza. Detractors of the blockade argue that it constitutes collective punishment for Gaza’s approximately 2 million residents.
Israel initially cut off Gaza from all aid in the early stages of the war sparked by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, but later eased restrictions under pressure from the United States.
In early March, just prior to ending a ceasefire with Hamas, Israel again restricted all imports, including food, fuel, and medicine.
During the October 7 attack, Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians, and took 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released through ceasefire agreements or other arrangements. Hamas is still holding onto 55 hostages, many of whom are believed to be deceased.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s military actions have resulted in over 54,000 Palestinian fatalities, predominantly among women and children. The ministry does not specify whether those killed were civilians or combatants.
The ongoing conflict has devastated extensive portions of Gaza and displaced nearly 90% of the population, rendering them almost entirely reliant on international aid.
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