Seizure of Madleen is the latest in more than a decade of Israeli attacks on aid flotillas
Palestinians sail boats near Gaza City in support of the Gaza-bound flotilla of international female activists attempting to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip on 5 October 2016
Middle East Eye reports on 9 June 2025:
Israeli forces seized control of the Madleen aid vessel aiming to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip on Monday morning – the latest of many such Israeli interceptions over the past decade and a half.
The British-flagged Madleen, which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was seeking to deliver a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula, and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there. However, the boat was intercepted in the early hours of Monday before it could reach Gaza, the FFC said on its Telegram account.
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The coalition includes member organisations from several countries, including Canada, Italy, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the US, Ireland, Brazil, Australia and France. Middle East Eye takes a look at the history of Israeli attacks on FFC flotillas.
Decade and half of Israeli attacks
The coalition first came together in 2010, after Israeli forces boarded a Freedom Flotilla mission in May that year and killed 1o activists.
The Mavi Marmara mission had been organised by the Free Gaza Movement and Turkey’s IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation. The ship set sail on 22 May from Sarayburnu port, Istanbul, in an attempt to breach the Israeli blockade on Gaza. A week later, in the Mediterranean Sea south of Cyprus, it joined the rest of the aid flotilla, comprising three passenger and three cargo ships carrying essential humanitarian aid and 700 activists.
But on 31 May 2010, despite being in international waters, Israeli troops violently boarded the Mavi Marmara vessel using helicopters and speedboats. Nine people were killed instantly, while another later died as a result of his wounds. The incident became a major international story, with Israel’s actions receiving strong condemnations.
Following the 2010 mission, the FFC was created to bring together and coordinate various campaigns from around the world seeking to break Israel’s siege.
A subsequent mission in 2011, named “Freedom Flotilla II – Stay Human”, was due to set sail towards Gaza on 5 July. However, the vast majority of vessels in the flotilla were unable to depart. Organisers said that Israel had sabotaged two of the ships set to depart from Turkey and Greece.