Gaza Freedom Flotilla: Tracing Attempts to Breach the Israeli Blockade

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Gaza-bound aid ship named Madleen, carrying climate activist Greta Thunberg and other international activists, was intercepted by Israeli forces on Monday morning. The vessel, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), is on a mission to deliver food, raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and advocate for Palestinian sovereignty, Axios reported.

The 12 activists on board the vessel include citizens from Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, Turkey, Spain, and Sweden. According to Israeli authorities, all activists will be deported, although there is no definite schedule.

Madleen is the second FFC ship to be intercepted by Israel within just one month; in early May, another vessel, Conscience, was targeted by unmanned aircraft near Malta, although no casualties were reported. Even before Madleen, several Freedom Flotilla missions had attempted to break through Israel's blockade.

How Did This Humanitarian Mission Begin?

According to the Middle East Journal, the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, an initiative aimed at breaking through the Israeli-Egyptian naval blockade in the Gaza Strip, has a history that dates back to August 2008. It began with the Free Gaza Movement, a coalition of human rights supporters, pro-Palestinian groups, and possibly Islamic organizations, that sent two ships carrying 46 activists and 200 hearing aids to Gaza.

Despite the blockade, the Israeli Navy permitted the initial mission to pass through, enabling the delivery of aid. The ships then returned to Cyprus unharmed. A second voyage in October 2008 was also permitted.

However, subsequent efforts between 2008 and 2009 faced increasing resistance: the first two ships were warned to turn back, and the second two were intercepted and directed to the port of Ashdod.

In May 2010, a more significant effort involved a fleet of six ships in the Mavi Marmara mission launched from Turkey by the Free Gaza Movement and the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH). Israel and other countries have labeled the IHH organization as being affiliated with Islamic terrorism.

The mission ended in violence when Israeli forces intercepted the ships, resulting in the deaths of nine passengers and injuries to ten Israeli soldiers. The incident led to an official apology from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and an offer of $20 million in compensation.

Following this, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) was formed in 2010. On its official website, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition outlines that its mission is to support the dignity and humanity of the Palestinian people. They affirm that their work is in concert with civil society and is not affiliated with any party, faction, or government. "Our actions against the blockade are always governed by the principles of non-violence and non-violent resistance," they stated.

FFC is made up of organizations from various countries such as Canada, Italy, Malaysia, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United States, Ireland, Brazil, Australia, and France.

Key Incidents Post-Mavi Marmara

Subsequent flotillas faced various obstacles after Mavi Marmara. In 2011, the Freedom Flotilla II was largely thwarted by diplomatic pressure, alleged sabotage, and restrictions from host countries, according to Middle East Eye.

• In 2011, most ships in the mission "Freedom Flotilla II - Stay Human" were prevented from departing, and some were reportedly sabotaged, with only one ship, Dignit al-Karama from France, successfully reaching Gaza before being intercepted.
• The "Freedom Flotilla III" was stopped in international waters in 2015. The main vessel, the Marianne, was forced back to Ashdod, Israel.
• In 2016, the Women's Boat to Gaza, entirely manned by women, was seized, and its crew deported.
• In 2017, a solidarity mission for Gaza's fishermen was attacked by an unmanned aircraft believed to be Israeli near Malta.
• In 2018, the Norwegian-flagged ship al-Awda was intercepted, and all 22 people on board were detained.
• Handala, which focuses on Gaza's children, sailed across Europe in 2023 and 2024 to raise awareness, while another ship, Conscience, was disabled by an unmanned aircraft attack near Malta in 2025.

Only the Dignit Karama ship managed to approach Gaza before being intercepted and towed to Ashdod by the Israeli navy, with the activists detained and later deported.

Madleen Ship and the 2025 Interception

Israeli authorities escorted the Madleen ship and its crew to Ashdod, a port city about 30 kilometers north of Gaza. Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir ordered the activists to be placed in isolated cells, isolated from each other and the outside world.

The Israeli government justified the blockade as necessary to prevent weapons from reaching Hamas. Meanwhile, critics, including FFC, condemned the action as a violation of international law and an attempt to suppress humanitarian efforts.

The FFC aid mission was carried out amidst strict restrictions imposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who blocked the delivery of food, water, and medicine to Gaza in March, exacerbating the conditions of millions of Palestinians.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the Madleen ship as a "selfie cruise" with "celebrities" and claimed that the vessel carried less than one truck of aid, emphasizing that over 1,200 aid trucks had entered Gaza in the past two weeks. The ministry stated that the seized aid would be sent to Gaza through official humanitarian channels, not through private initiatives.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition described Israel's seizure as a kidnapping and reiterated their demands: the end of the Gaza occupation, the immediate release of all fleet volunteers, direct aid deliveries to Palestinians, and accountability for military actions against the ships.

The blockade remains in place amid various conflicts, including the current war. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz labeled the Madleen mission as propaganda to support Hamas. Conversely, while Hamas condemned the seizure as "state terrorism," video from the ship showed a white substance covering the deck and disrupted communications during the seizure.

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