Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday ordered the military to block a charity vessel carrying activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, from breaching Israel’s naval blockade to reach Gaza.
Operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the British-flagged Madleen yacht set sail from Sicily on June 6 and is currently off the Egyptian coast, heading slowly toward the Gaza Strip, which is besieged by Israel.
"I instructed the IDF to act so that the Madleen ... does not reach Gaza," Katz said in a statement.
"To the antisemitic Greta and her Hamas-propaganda-spouting friends, I say clearly: You'd better turn back, because you will not reach Gaza."
Climate activist Thunberg said she joined the Madleen crew to "challenge Israel's illegal siege and escalating war crimes" in Gaza and highlight the urgent need for humanitarian aid. She has rejected previous Israeli accusations of antisemitism.
