By Colonel (Ret) Ann Wright
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s (FFC) sailboat, Madleen was intercepted in international waters by the Israeli military at 3:02 am CEST at 31.95236° N, 32.38880° E.
The ship was unlawfully boarded, its 12 unarmed civilian crew and participants abducted, and its life-saving cargo—including baby formula, food and medical supplies—confiscated, as well as personal possessions taken.
To our knowledge, no one from the Madleen was injured during the interception.
Immediately after the interception, the crew and participants were moved immediately from the Madleen and taken to an Israeli ship. That is only the second time that crew/participants have been taken off the flotilla ship. The first was in 2011 from the Dignite, which sailed from France.
Prior to the intercept, drones flew around Madleen and a white powder substance was dropped on the decks. We do not know what the substance was.
After losing communication with Madleen, the FFC began posting pre-recorded video messages from those onboard. “If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupation forces, or forces that support Israel.” SOS messages from the volunteers have been sent to the world.
In the statement issued by the Gaza Freedom Flotilla coalition, Huwaida Arraf, human rights attorney and Freedom Flotilla organizer, said, “Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen. This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the ICJ’s binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza. 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.”
The statement continued, “Israel is once again acting with total impunity. It has defied the International Court of Justice’s binding orders to allow unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza, disregarded the international laws protecting civilian navigation, and dismissed the demands of millions worldwide calling for an end to the siege and genocide.”
This latest act of Israeli aggression follows the unpunished Israeli drone attack on May 1, 2025 on the flotilla’s vessel, Conscience, which left four civilian volunteers injured and the ship disabled and burning in European waters. That unprovoked attack on the Conscience is a major violation of international law that has not been addressed by the international community.
Now, today, Israel has escalated its violence again by targeting another peaceful civilian vessel.
“The world’s governments remained silent when Conscience was bombed. Now Israel is testing that silence again,” said Tan Safi another Freedom Flotilla organizer. Every hour without consequences emboldens Israel to escalate its attacks on civilians, aid workers, and the very foundations of international law.”
Flotilla lawyers will meet volunteers while they are in prison and advocate for their release.
Calls to the seven embassies in your countries of the volunteers will put pressure for immediate consular visits to the prisons to speak with their citizens. Please call the French, Spanish, German, Swedish, Turkish, Brazilian and Dutch embassies in your countries.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition demands:
• An end to the illegal and deadly siege of Gaza.
• The immediate release of all abducted volunteers;
• The immediate delivery of humanitarian aid directly to Palestinians that is independent of the control of the occupying power
• Full accountability for the military assaults on Madleen and Conscience.
Ann Wright served 29 years in the US Army/Army Reserves and retired as a Colonel. She also was a U.S. diplomat for 16 years. She resigned in 2003 in opposition to the US war on Iraq. She has been in Israeli prison two times with the Gaza flotilla missions and has been on segments of four other missions. She is the co-author of “Dissent: Voices of Conscience.”
