Israel Intercepts Gaza Aid Ship Carrying Greta Thunberg: What to Know

Israel said on Monday it had intercepted a Gaza-bound ship carrying aid and a dozen people, including the activist Greta Thunberg.

The civilian ship, called the Madleen, has been operating under the auspices of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a group that opposes the nearly two-decade-old blockade of Gaza.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said its activists had been “kidnapped” by the Israeli military. Israel said it expected to return the ship’s passengers to their home countries.

What happened?

The Madleen set sail from Sicily on June 1. Israel vowed to prevent the ship from reaching Gaza, saying its military would use “any means necessary” to stop it from breaching an Israeli naval blockade of the enclave.

Surveillance footage recorded early Monday aboard the Madleen shows people in the cockpit wearing orange life vests as the bright lights of another vessel approach. People can then be seen boarding the Madleen.