Israel blocked a sailing ship carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from entering the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Monday.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s (FFC) ship Madleen was “safely making its way to the shores of Israel.”

“The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,” the ministry said in a post on X.

In a statement, the FFC said the Madleen had “been attacked/forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military” in international waters.

“The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo — including baby formula, food and medical supplies — confiscated,” the FFC said in a statement.

FFC organizer Huwaida Arraf said Israel had no legal authority to detain those aboard the ship.

“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,” Arraf said.

“We are undeterred. We will sail again. We will not stop until the siege ends and Palestine is free,” the FFC said.

“This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the ICJ’s binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza,” the FCC added.

The activists argue that Israel must guarantee unhindered humanitarian access to the coastal strip.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry, however, stated that the zone off the Gaza Strip is closed to unauthorized vessels under the naval blockade in place since 2007. This is why the Madleen was stopped.

It is still unclear when the activists will reach the Israeli coast and be deported to their home countries.

In similar actions in the past, the activists were deported directly via Ben Gurion International Airport, not far from the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the army to first show the group video footage of the atrocities committed by the Islamist Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023.

“It is appropriate that the anti-Semite Greta and her friends see exactly who the Hamas supporters are, who the Hamas terrorist organisation is that they support and for whom they act,” Katz said.

Ahead of the ship’s arrival, Katz had ordered the armed forces to prevent the arrival of the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily a week ago.

Addressing Thunberg and the 11 other activists on board, Katz said: “You should turn back because you will not reach Gaza.”