Israel intercepts flotilla carrying Greta Thunberg as protests erupt in several countries
Photo: Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
Israeli Navy ships have intercepted a flotilla of 44 vessels en route to the Gaza Strip on a humanitarian mission. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was reportedly aboard one of the boats, according to posts on X from the Global Sumud Flotilla heading to Gaza, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to reports, the vessels were about 112 kilometers off the coast at the time of interception.
Representatives of the Sumud flotilla said that several of their ships carrying passengers were intercepted and seized by Israeli forces, while the rest continued toward the Gaza Strip.
The organization released a video featuring Greta Thunberg and denounced Israel’s actions as an illegal detention of activists. Among those detained was French Member of the European Parliament Emma Fourreau.
GRETA THUNBERG HAS BEEN CAPTURED pic.twitter.com/64X9KnjTvD
— Global Sumud Flotilla (@GSMFlotilla) October 1, 2025
The Freedom Flotilla, which has previously tried to organize missions delivering aid to the enclave, said that this time, honest people had been abducted, since their actions did not violate any laws. They claimed that Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip could be considered a crime amounting to genocide.
Thunberg's provocation or Israel's war crime
Before the incident, Greta Thunberg stated on Instagram that stopping the flotilla would be a war crime by Tel Aviv, as it would violate international maritime and humanitarian law. She emphasized that Israel had no right to block the delivery of humanitarian supplies to the enclave.
The Israeli government described the Sumud flotilla’s voyage as a provocation. The country’s Foreign Ministry said that Israel, Italy, Greece, and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem had repeatedly offered the participants safe routes to deliver aid to Gaza.
Before the incident, Israeli authorities officially warned that the ships were heading into a combat zone and violating the existing naval blockade. The ministry reported that Greta Thunberg and her companions were safe and in good condition.
Italian Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that Israel had promised not to use force against the more than 500 people on board, including politicians from France and Italy, according to the BBC.
In August, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification confirmed widespread famine among residents of Gaza City.
Protests across Europe
Meanwhile, protests erupted in several European countries following the detention of participants in the Global Sumud mission.
Thousands of people took to the streets in Florence, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Brussels, Athens, Barcelona, Ankara, and Istanbul.
In Italy, demonstrators blocked railway tracks. In Istanbul and Barcelona, thousands gathered outside Israeli consulates.
In Ankara, people protested outside the US Embassy, while in Berlin, police detained a Jewish activist who supported the Sumud flotilla.
Greta Thunberg's controversial missions
This year, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg made two attempts to reach the Gaza Strip by sea.
On June 1, Thunberg and 11 pro-Palestinian activists set sail toward the enclave’s coast aboard the sailing vessel Madleen. Among those on board was French MEP Rima Hassan.
On June 9, Israeli forces intercepted the ship, detained the activists, and later deported them to Europe.
After returning to Sweden, Thunberg criticized the Israeli government and US President Donald Trump, who had called her a "very angry person."
On August 31, a new flotilla launched another attempt to break the Gaza blockade.
On September 9, an unidentified drone attacked the vessel carrying Greta Thunberg.
