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Greta Thunberg’s Gaza aid flotilla will be stopped, Israel says

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to prevent a Freedom Flotilla Coalition aid boat, the Madleen, carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists, from reaching the Gaza Strip, citing the need to maintain a naval blockade to prevent Hamas from importing arms.
The Madleen, named after a Gazan fisherwoman, departed Sicily last Sunday with 12 activists, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan, aiming to break the sea blockade of Gaza, deliver aid, and raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis.
Greta Thunberg stated aboard the Madleen that the activists are committed to doing everything they can for the Palestinian people, stepping up where governments have failed.
An attempt by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza last month failed after another vessel was attacked by drones in international waters off Malta, with the group blaming Israel for the attack.
The Gaza conflict, intensified by the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, has resulted in over 54,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza's Health Ministry, displacement of 90 per cent of Gaza's population, and near-total dependence on international aid for approximately 2 million residents.