Israeli occupation forces have illegally abducted civilians from international waters. They were taking aid on the ‘Madleen’ Freedom Flotilla boat to break Israel’s starvation stranglehold on occupied Gaza during the ongoing genocide. But you won’t get headlines like that from the “sinister and complicit” Western media.
Illegally abduction on the Freedom Flotilla in international waters
Israeli pirates “attacked/forcibly intercepted” the the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) civilian ship “at 3:02 am CET in international waters”, according to the FFC. It asserted:
The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo—including baby formula, food and medical supplies—confiscated.
It quoted lawyer Huwaida Arraf saying:
Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen… This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the ICJ’s binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza. These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalized for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade—their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end immediately.
The Israeli kidnappers reportedly jammed the boat’s radio signal to stop it calling for help, surrounded it with drones which ‘dropped a white substance’ onto it, and ordered the civilians on board to throw their phones into the water. Among the Freedom Flotilla abductees were prize-winning climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and European Parliament member Rima Hassan.
Actor Liam Cunningham, who has been supporting the Madleen’s efforts, responded by calling people to pay attention to the media reaction:
If you want to know how sinister and complicit the western press is. Read and listen carefully to the reporting of the illegal ramming, boarding and kidnapping of the volunteers onboard the #FreedomFlotilla near #Gaza they were carrying humanitarian aid.
In particular, he highlighted how LBC immediately platformed Israeli propaganda:
This is the reprehensible level the British media has stooped to. An act of piracy and kidnapping described as this.
Beyond parody. This is where we are. https://t.co/taA3gNtQjZ— liam cunningham (@liamcunningham1) June 9, 2025
Other outlets simply said Israel ‘took control‘ of the Madleen, ‘diverted‘ it, ‘seized‘ it, or ‘intercepted‘ it and ‘detained’ those aboard. Sky News, meanwhile, focused on platforming the vile smears of war-criminal Israeli minister Israel Katz.
Israeli pirates flout international law yet again
Back in 2010, long before the current genocide, Israeli occupation forces murdered 10 people in a similar freedom flotilla that was trying to break Israel’s siege of Gaza. Israel’s brutal blockade created “the world’s largest open-air prison” for the territory’s highly concentrated population .
15 years later, Israel is once again flouting its duty as an occupying power to provide sufficient aid to the occupied Palestinian territory or to allow others to do so. And weeks after attacking another civilian aid boat in international waters, Israel has now torpedoed another attempt to bring relief to the starving people of Gaza.
As Amnesty International boss Agnes Callamard responded:
Israel interception of Madleen violates international law.
As the occupying power (as recognised by the ICJ), Israel has a legal obligation to ensure civilians in Gaza have sufficient food and medicine.
The Madleen Freedom Flotilla carries the UK’s shipping flag. The British government, however, has not only been quiet so far about Israel’s hijacking of the ship. It actually sent another plane to Gaza from RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus – which has been “a foundational asset” for Israel’s genocide.
— Matt Kennard (@kennardmatt) June 8, 2025
The UK spy plane that took off yesterday from Cyprus might have conducted surveillance of Israel's boarding of the Madleen.
But it was probably too busy on way to Gaza providing information to Israeli intelligence. pic.twitter.com/rgxCkZXVJi
— Declassified UK (@declassifiedUK) June 9, 2025
Keep resisting the selfie genocide
Journalists and others have been carefully documenting Israeli war crimes in Gaza. And because Israeli soldiers have been flaunting their crimes on social media (and even dating apps), there is a massive video database. This is on top of crimes like bombing hospitals, cutting electricity, or assassinating media workers.
The video footage of Israeli crimes isn’t just in occupied Gaza either. It’s in the occupied West Bank too. It’s a clear pattern of proud self-documentation from the occupying power.
This context is why Israel’s attempts to call the Madleen Freedom Flotilla a ‘selfie stunt’ are all the more ridiculous.
1. sandwiches and water don’t make up for the fact that you intercepted their ship in violation of international law.
2. hilarious to see you lot saying “selfie yacht” while your soldiers are known to photograph themselves committing war crimes. call it the selfie army, perhaps? https://t.co/M5VZqhCtEm pic.twitter.com/d8q4nIkLzq— 𝔂 (@yaxzsmim) June 9, 2025
There have now been calls for more boats to sail towards Gaza in solidarity, for people to call on their governments to secure the Madleen Freedom Flotilla crew’s release, and for the intensification of the land caravan of aid that is already on the way to Gaza.
The Gaza aid ship, Madleen, sailing in international waters under a UK flag, has been illegally invaded, subjected to a chemical attack, all on board kidnapped.
Piracy. Terrorism. Abduction.
Call the Foreign Office:
02070085000Email:
[email protected] pic.twitter.com/JWAbDf1nGx— GGEC (@ggectee) June 9, 2025
The buses are rolling out.
From Tunis, the Al-Soumoud Caravan begins its historic journey to Gaza.
Crowds cheer, flags wave, voices rise in unison-Tunisians and Algerians shoulder to shoulder, hearts ablaze with solidarity.
This is more than a convoy. It's a people's march. A… pic.twitter.com/Kt6oPUOWmP— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) June 9, 2025
In Britain, meanwhile, emergency protests will take place today in London and elsewhere:
⚠️ URGENT LONDON CALLOUT ⚠️
Protect the @GazaFFlotilla boat #Madleen
Tomorrow Monday1pm @FCDOGovUK#AllEyesOnMadleen pic.twitter.com/HoELtpCw0a— Brighton PSC (@BrightonPSC) June 8, 2025
This is insane! Get down to Downing St if you can. Starmer and Lammy you can’t stay silent on this one! pic.twitter.com/yJBXRMsuCc
— Stop the War (@STWuk) June 9, 2025
🆘Urgent actions today Monday 9th June –
1pm the Foreign Office, SW1A 2AH
1pm the Scottish Parliament EH99 1SP
6pm at Downing Street, SW1A 2AB
The UK Government has full jurisdiction over the UK-flagged Madleen and a duty under international law to protect the ship and crew pic.twitter.com/AGfKNbAngK
— Health for XR (@DoctorsXr) June 9, 2025
Featured image via the Canary
