An AFP photographer said that the Madleen, which organisers said was intercepted in international waters overnight, reached the port north of Gaza at around 8.45pm local time escorted by the Israeli navy.
The Madleen set sail from Italy on Jun 1 to raise awareness of food shortages in the Gaza Strip, which the United Nations has called the “hungriest place on Earth”.
After more than 20 months of war, triggered by Palestinian militant group Hamas’s Oct 7, 2023 attack on Israel, the UN has warned that Gaza’s entire population is at risk of famine.
At around 4.02am on Monday, Israeli troops “forcibly intercepted” the vessel as it approached Gaza, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said.
“If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped,” Thunberg said in pre-recorded footage shared by the coalition.
