Was Greta Thunberg Detained by Israel? Everything We Know About the Activist’s Gaza Aid Voyage

Greta Thunberg and 11 other activists were detained by Israeli forces while attempting to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza on Monday, June 9, 2025.

According to AP News, Thunberg and the others were protesting the ongoing military presence of Israel in the Gaza Strip, which has become one of the "deadliest and most destructive since World War II."

Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid have put around 2 million Palestinian people at risk of famine.

Thunberg's ship – the Madleen – departed from Sicily and was seized about 120 miles away from Gaza in international waters.

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The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said, "The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo — including baby formula, food and medical supplies — confiscated."

Israel’s Foreign Ministry called the voyage “the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities'" in a post on X.

It added that the aid brought by the boat will allegedly be distributed to Gaza through "established channels."

Adalah, a legal rights group representing the activists, said that Israel had "no legal authority" to detain the ship since they were in international waters heading for "territorial waters of the state of Palestine."

"The arrest of the unarmed activists, who operated in a civilian manner to provide humanitarian aid, amounts to a serious breach of international law," Adalah said.

What Is the Freedom Flotilla?

According to their official website, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition "is a grassroots people-to-people solidarity movement composed of campaigns and initiatives from different parts of the world, working together to end the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza."

The organization was created in 2010.

They organize "direct action missions" to "support the dignity and humanity of Palestinians" and they are "governed by the principles of non-violence and non-violent resistance."

Who Was On Board the Freedom Flotilla Boat?

Aside from Swedish activist Thunberg, six French citizens were aboard the boat, including European Parliament member Rima Hassan.

Hassan is French of Palestinian descent and has strongly opposed Israeli policies.

Along the way, the boat also stopped to pick up four migrants who were avoiding detainment by the Libyan coast guard.

What Will Happen to the Activists Detained in Israel?

The boat is expected to dock at the Israeli port of Ashdod, as of midday Monday. From there, they will be held at a detention facility in Ramle, Israel, before being deported back to their home countries.

"I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible,” Thunberg said in a prerecorded message after the boat was seized.

As for the French activists, French President Emmanuel Macron asked Israel to release the activists to return to France as soon as possible, in a statement provided to AP News.