Drama at Sea: IDF Troops Take Over Gaza Flotilla Ship

IDF troops from the Shayetet 13 naval commando unit early Monday morning took over the “Madleen” flotilla, which was making its way to the shores of the Gaza Strip in an attempt to break the maritime blockade imposed by Israel.

The activists on the ship were detained without incident, and the ship is now on its way to the port of Ashdod.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement, “The ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries.”

“While Greta [Thunberg] and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included less than a single truckload of aid — more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks, and in addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza,” it added.

“There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies. The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the ‘celebrities’ will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels,” said the Foreign Ministry.

The IDF takeover was preceded by the activists reporting that an alarm had sounded on deck. Later, they clarified that it was a false alarm. The activists on the flotilla further claimed that drones surrounded the ship and sprayed it with a white, irritating substance.

In response to the activists' claims, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement in English which said, “The maritime zone off the coast of Gaza is closed to unauthorized vessels under a legal naval blockade, consistent with international law.”

“The yacht is claiming that it is delivering humanitarian aid. In fact, it is a media gimmick for publicity (which includes less than a single truckload of aid) - a ‘selfie yacht’.”

“The Gaza maritime zone remains an active conflict area, and Hamas has previously exploited sea routes for terrorist attacks, including the October 7th massacre. Unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts,” it continued. (INN/VFI News)

“Dear God, we thank You for stopping the “Madleen” flotilla from arriving at the shores of Gaza. We pray that you would silence the lying tongues and reveal the truth to those who seek to harm and spread lies and hatred against Israel. We ask for Your justice to be done with those who were on the flotilla and for the truth to prevail. In Yeshua’s name we pray.”