Hundreds of protesters gathered at Marktplatz in Mannheim on Monday, June 9, 2025, to condemn Israel’s interception of the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC).

The vessel, carrying 12 activists including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, was seized by Israeli naval forces in international waters early Monday, approximately 100 nautical miles from Gaza, as it attempted to deliver symbolic aid, including rice, baby formula, and medical supplies, to the blockaded Palestinian territory.

The protesters, waving Palestinian flags and holding signs reading “Stop the Genocide” and “Neutrality = Complicity,” expressed solidarity with the detained activists and demanded an end to Israel’s 18-year naval blockade of Gaza, which has severely restricted humanitarian aid to the region. The blockade, tightened during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, has left Gaza’s 2.3 million residents facing acute malnutrition and famine risks, with the World Food Program warning that one in five Palestinians is on the brink of starvation.

Amnesty International condemned Israel’s actions, with Secretary-General Agnes Callamard stating: “By forcibly intercepting and blocking the Madleen, which was carrying humanitarian aid and a crew of solidarity activists, Israel has once again flouted its legal obligations towards civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip.” The organization argues that the interception violates international agreements, including International Court of Justice (ICJ) orders mandating unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza. Human rights attorney Huwaida Arraf, an FFC organizer, echoed this sentiment, calling the seizure a “blatant violation of international law” and asserting that Israel lacks legal authority to detain the volunteers in international waters.

Israeli authorities defended the interception, claiming the blockade is necessary to prevent Palestinian militants from importing weapons. The Israeli Foreign Ministry dismissed the Madleen as a “selfie yacht” carrying “celebrity” activists, stating that the small amount of aid onboard would be transferred to Gaza through “real humanitarian channels” like the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). However, humanitarian groups, including Médecins Sans Frontières, have criticized the GHF’s distribution efforts as inadequate, noting that recent Israeli strikes near GHF distribution points have killed aid seekers, including 13 people on Sunday.

The Madleen’s 12 activists, including Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan, were detained and taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the activists to be shown footage of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, a move criticized by some as psychological coercion. By Tuesday, June 10, at least four activists, including Thunberg, were deported, with the Swedish activist returning to Sweden via France. Those refusing to sign deportation documents face judicial hearings in Israel.

International reactions have been swift. Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry labeled the interception a “heinous act” violating international law, while Spain summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires in Madrid to protest. Ireland’s Prime Minister Simon Harris called the Madleen a “powerful symbol” of humanitarian solidarity, condemning Israel’s actions as highlighting the “desperate state of Gaza.” Brazil and the Jewish Council of Australia also urged the release of the detained activists and an end to restrictions on Gaza aid.

The FFC, which has attempted to break the Gaza blockade since 2007, described the Madleen’s mission as a success in raising global awareness of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, despite not reaching its destination. The coalition referenced the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident, where Israeli commandos killed 10 activists, underscoring the risks of such missions. Another FFC vessel was attacked by drones off Malta last month, further highlighting the dangers faced by activists.

As protests continue in Berlin and other cities like Paris and London, the Madleen incident has reignited global debate over Israel’s blockade and the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where over 54,900 Palestinians have been killed and 126,200 injured since October 2023, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. (ILKHA)