Posted on 06/08/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
Participants of the "Madleen" flotilla, which is making its way to the shores of the Gaza Strip in an attempt to break the maritime blockade imposed by Israel, reported early Monday morning that IDF troops boarded the ship and took control of it.
According to the reports, the activists on the ship were detained, and the ship is on its way to the port of Ashdod.
Earlier, the activists reported that an alarm had sounded on deck. Later, they clarified that it was a false alarm.
"An alarm was sounded on deck, and life jackets are ready in case of an attempted takeover of the ship," the flotilla's Telegram group reported. A few minutes later, another message was posted: "The vessel that approached us has left. All eyes on deck, all eyes on Gaza."
The activists on the flotilla further claimed that drones surrounded the ship and sprayed it with a white, irritating substance.
In response to the activists' claims, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement in English which said, “The maritime zone off the coast of Gaza is closed to unauthorized vessels under a legal naval blockade, consistent with international law.”
“The yacht is claiming that it is delivering humanitarian aid. In fact, it is a media gimmick for publicity (which includes less than a single truckload of aid) - a ‘selfie yacht’”.
“Humanitarian aid is delivered regularly and effectively via different channels and routes, and is transferred through established distribution mechanisms. Over the past two weeks, more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza,” the Foreign Ministry said.
“The Gaza maritime zone remains an active conflict area, and Hamas has previously exploited sea routes for terrorist attacks, including the October 7th massacre. Unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts,” it continued.
“We call on all actors to act responsibly and to channel humanitarian aid through legitimate, coordinated mechanisms, not through provocation.”