Israel to block Madleen Gaza flotilla’s arrival

Gaza City: As the vessel Madleen makes its way toward Gaza carrying crucial humanitarian aid, there remains limited public knowledge about the woman it honours—Madleen Kulab, recognized as Gaza’s only female fisherman.

However, the outbreak of war in Gaza brought devastation. The family initially lived in fear, and their worst moment came in November 2023 when Madleen’s father was killed in an Israeli airstrike near their home.

The Madleen set sail from Catania, Sicily, on June 1, just a month after an Israeli drone strike targeted another Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) aid vessel bound for Gaza. This marks the latest attempt to deliver humanitarian assistance to the region, where over 54,000 people have lost their lives due to Israeli airstrikes.

The voyage spans roughly 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) and is expected to take about seven days if no interruptions occur. The ship’s movements are being tracked in real-time by Forensic Architecture, along with a Garmin live tracker onboard. As of 07:23 GMT on June 4, the vessel was located 70 nautical miles (approximately 130 kilometres) southwest of the Greek island of Crete, Al Jazeera reported.

Meanwhile, several Israeli media outlets have reported that the Israeli military does not intend to let the ship reach Gaza. Activists on board have been warned they could face detention and the confiscation of their vessel if they do not comply with military orders.

One of the 12 activists aboard the Madleen shared an update on their journey, affirming that the mission would proceed despite Israeli threats to stop them.

In a video posted on X, activist Thiago Avila stated that the crew—including prominent climate advocate Greta Thunberg—remained undeterred by a warning they received from Israeli authorities on Thursday.

According to Avila, Israel had informed them that the Madleen, which is transporting food and medical aid, would be prevented from reaching Gaza, and that any attempt to do so could result in an attack.

There are 11 activists and a journalist on board the Madleen:

Greta Thunberg – Swedish climate activist

Rima Hassan – French-Palestinian Member of European Parliament

Yasemin Acar – Germany

Baptiste Andre – France

Thiago Avila – Brazil

Omar Faiad – France; Al Jazeera Mubasher correspondent

Pascal Maurieras – France

Yanis Mhamdi – France

Suayb Ordu – Turkiye

Sergio Toribio – Spain

Marco van Rennes – The Netherlands

Reva Viard – France