Israel regarded the Thunberg ship's attempt to enter Gaza as aid to Hamas

The Israeli authorities consider the attempts of the ship with eco-activist Greta Thunberg on board to violate the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip as contributing to the activities of the Palestinian Hamas movement. This was announced on June 9 by Dmitry Gendelman, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Israel.

"The State of Israel considers any attempts to violate the current naval blockade of the Gaza Strip as deliberate assistance to the terrorist activities of the Hamas organization," Gendelman said in his Telegram channel, commenting on the situation with the detention of the Madeleine ship, on board of which Thunberg was.

According to him, the operation to intercept the ship was carried out by the IDF quickly, professionally and in full compliance with international law. Gendelman also said that all passengers of the ship will be shown documentary materials about the massacres committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

"Those who try to present themselves as 'humanitarian activists' should clearly understand in whose interests they are acting and what crimes against humanity their allies are committing," he added.

According to the adviser, Israel intends to continue to stop any attempts that threaten the country's security "on land, in the air and at sea."

Pressure point: Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza as part of its operation

The IDF has stepped up operations around the entire perimeter of the exclave — during one of the strikes, the head of the military wing of Hamas was killed.

On the same day, Thunberg, who was traveling on the Madeleine ship to the Gaza Strip as part of a humanitarian mission, accused the Israeli authorities of kidnapping. In her appeal, she called on her family, friends and colleagues to put pressure on the Swedish government to achieve the immediate release of all participants in the mission, including herself.

On the same day, the press service of the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced that all people on board the Madeline vessel would be sent to their home countries. According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Thunberg tried to organize a provocation to attract public attention. The press service added that there was "less than one aid truck" on board the eco-activist's ship, while over the past two weeks at least 1,2 thousand such vehicles have been sent from Israel to Gaza.

French MEP Rima Hassan said on May 28 that Thunberg intends to visit the Gaza Strip as part of a humanitarian mission, despite its blockade by the Israeli army. Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, in turn, noted that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had been instructed to prevent the Greta Thunberg flotilla from reaching the shores of the Gaza Strip.