CliffNotes
- Israel diverts Gaza-bound boat with Greta Thunberg on board
- Israel says no vessel will be allowed to reach Gaza directly
- Israel says those onboard will be deported
Israel Diverts Gaza-Bound Boat With Greta Thunberg On Board
What happened
An aid boat carrying climate activist Greta Thunberg and other pro-Palestinian campaigners has been diverted by Israel’s military. The yacht Madleen, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was sailing under a British flag with a mission to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza when it was intercepted and redirected to Ashdod port.
What next
Israel says those onboard will be deported. Meanwhile, tensions may escalate again as the flotilla group vows to continue its missions. Israel remains firm that no vessel will be allowed to reach Gaza directly, amid an ongoing war that has killed over 1,200 Israelis and, according to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 54,000 Palestinians.