Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists diverted to Israel

A Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists has been diverted to Israel, the country’s foreign ministry has said.

In a post on X, it said the British-flagged yacht Madleen, which is operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), “is safely making its way to the shores of Israel”.

“The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,” Israel‘s foreign ministry said, adding that the humanitarian aid aboard the ship would be transferred to Gaza through established channels.

The ministry later said all the passengers were safe and unharmed, sharing footage of the activists being handed sandwiches and water. Ms Thunberg was “safe and in good spirits” while en route to Israel, it added.

The FFC claimed the passengers on the yacht had been “kidnapped by Israeli forces” and released pre-recorded messages from them after previously saying that the “Israeli army had boarded” the vessel.

Climate campaigner Ms Thunberg, 22, was one of a dozen activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily on 1 May on a mission aiming to break Israel’s sea blockade.

The activists had planned to reach Gaza‘s territorial waters as early as Sunday to deliver humanitarian aid, but their plan was thwarted by Israel.

Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament, who is of Palestinian descent, is also on the boat.

She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israel’s policies towards Palestinians.

Ms Hassan wrote on X as the FFC’s yacht was allegedly surrounded by other vessels: “The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2am.”

The diversion of the Madleen comes after Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said that he had instructed the Israeli Defence Forces to prevent the vessel from reaching the shore and to “take whatever measures necessary”.

Addressing Ms Thunberg and the other activists on Sunday, he said: “You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza.”

He wrote on X: “I have instructed the IDF to act so that the ‘Madeleine’ hate flotilla does not reach the shores of Gaza – and to take any means necessary to that end.

“To the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propaganda spokespeople, I say clearly: You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza.

“Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organisations – at sea, in the air and on land.”