Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the country would enforce its naval blockade on Gaza, claiming it is necessary to stop weapons from reaching Hamas.

“To Greta Thunberg and the rest of Hamas sympathizers — my message is clear: turn back, you will not reach Gaza,” Katz said.

Thunberg is one of 12 activists aboard the Madleen, a ship operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The boat left Sicily last Sunday, aiming to challenge the blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, while drawing global attention to the deepening crisis there nearly two years into the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The group intended to arrive in Gaza’s waters as early as Sunday. According to Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist on the boat, they experienced interference with their tracking and communication systems roughly 160 nautical miles from Gaza.

Also onboard is Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament of Palestinian origin, who is barred from entering Israel due to her stance against Israeli policies toward Palestinians.

Israel had imposed a full blockade on Gaza for over two months to pressure Hamas but began permitting limited aid entry last month. However, humanitarian organizations warn of an impending famine unless the siege ends and military operations cease.

A previous attempt by the Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza last month was thwarted when one of their vessels was damaged by drone attacks in international waters near Malta — an incident the group attributed to Israel.

Israel and Egypt have maintained different levels of blockade on Gaza since Hamas took control in 2007. Critics argue the restrictions collectively punish Gaza’s 2 million residents.

Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on southern Israel — which killed around 1,200 people and led to the abduction of 251 hostages — Israel completely shut off aid to Gaza, later easing under U.S. pressure. By March, before resuming combat, Israel again stopped all imports, including food and medical supplies.

As of now, Hamas still holds 55 hostages, with more than half believed to have died. The conflict has left over 54,000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza health authorities, who report that most casualties are women and children. The war has devastated large parts of Gaza, displacing nearly 90% of its population and leaving residents almost entirely reliant on foreign aid.