Who is who aboard the Gaza aid vessel Madleen?
Aid vessel Madleen, carrying 12 members — 11 activists and one journalist — on their way to break the Gaza siege, was intercepted by Israeli forces early on Monday morning and towed to Israel.
The Israeli foreign ministry, in a statement on X, said that the vessel “is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries”.
The British-flagged yacht Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, had departed from Sicily on June 1 and had hoped to reach Gaza later in the day, when the interception occurred, the group said on its Telegram account.
On board the Madleen — named after Palestine’s only fisherwoman — are 12 activists from around the world, who had set out in response to Israel’s total aid blockade in the besieged enclave, according to a report by Al Jazeera.
Greta Thunberg
The 22-year old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is among the 12 members on board. Greta has repeatedly criticised Israel for its actions in Gaza. Last year, Thunberg was detained at a pro-Palestinian rally in Copenhagen. At a 2023 rally, standing in support of the Palestinian cause, she noted that there can be “no climate justice on occupied land”.
In a video message posted on X, recorded before the interception, Greta is seen saying, “If you see this video, it means we have been kidnapped in international waters by Israeli occupational forces”.
Yanis Mhamdi
French journalist/director Yanis Mhamdi has long been a critic of Israel’s policies, with his work, such as his last year’s documentary “Netanyahu: Portrait of a War Criminal,” and his upcoming film shot in the West Bank called “Alice in Settlerland”.
According to FFC’s website, “[Mhamdi] addresses topics often overlooked by mainstream media, shedding light on complex political and social issues. His work aims to inform the public on issues of public interest, drawing on in-depth investigations and direct testimony.”
In a video recorded before the interception, Mhamdi urged the “French authorities to expedite his release if he is detained” when they see the video, which was to be released in case of an attack.
Yasemin Acar
Born to Kurdish parents, Yasemin Acar has been an activist from the age of 15, “advocating for refugees, human rights, and against anti-Muslim racism”. She has long been a vocal advocate for Palestine for many years and has organised mass pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Berlin.
“Coming from a Kurdish family, she feels that resistance was not a choice but a way of life,” says FFC.
In her pre-recorded video message, Acar says, “I appeal to my comrades, friends and family to put pressure on the German government and to ask for my release as soon as possible.”
In a post on her Instagram detailing the aim of the mission, Acar noted, “Bombing hospitals, bombing children, these war crimes we have been watching for 20 months, and this is why we are here. We are here because our governments are not doing this.”
Thiago Ávila
37-year-old Brazilian Thiago Avila is a communicator, internationalist and socio-environmentalist, coordinator of Freedom Flotilla Brazil and member of the Steering Committee of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
Avila has been an advocate for the Palestinian cause for the past 19 years. Since October 2023, Thiago Ávila has built and supported missions worldwide since Israel’s invasion of Gaza began in October 2023.
According to the FFC, he has been engaged in mobilisation efforts for the opening of the Rafah border in Egypt. Avila was also in Turkey in the first attempt to sail with the Freedom Flotilla emergency mission.
In his message, Avila urged people to pressure their government to “break their relationship with Israel, to end the genocide and then the siege”.
Rima Hassan
French parliamentarian Rima Hassan, granddaughter of Palestinian refugees from the first Nakba, made history when she became the first French-Palestinian member of the European parliament, according to a report by Middle East Eye.
As per the report, Hassan, of the left-wing France Unbowed (La France Insoumise, LFI) party, has utilised her visibility to openly condemn the “genocide” committed by Israel in Gaza, accusing the state of being a “nameless monstrosity”, a “fascist colonial entity” which “lies every day”.
Hassan suspected that the Israeli military was going to intercept the Madleen, she indicated in a video posted on her X, adding that, “when we are no longer able to communicate with you, I’m counting on you to continue the mobilisation”.
Baptiste Andre
French activist and doctor Baptiste Andre is also among those detained aboard the Madleen. In the pre-recorded message, Andre, holding his French passport, echoed similar calls by the rest of the group, asking people to put pressure on their respective governments for the release of the 12-member crew.
Earlier, in a video posted by Rima Hassan, the French citizens on board the Madleen, including Andre, appealed to the French PM Emmanuel Macron to “ensure the protection of the ship against any intervention by the Israeli army”.
Mark van Rennes
Omar Faiad
Reporting from the Madleen is Al Jazeera Mubasher’s Omar Faiad. Anticipating an interception, Faiad reported that the crew were readying themselves for “being arrested, or the possibility of Israel using military force against them”.
Pascal Maurieras
Echoing his fellow detainees’ calls, he urged the French government to intervene.
Suayb Ordu
Turkish activist Suayb Ordu has been involved in volunteer projects supporting Palestine for years, along with his wife. On Sunday, Ordu had said that he would maintain a peaceful stance in case of an Israeli attack.
Ordu said in a message posted on the activist’s Instagram, as the ship neared Gaza, “If any harm comes to me, if they kill me, and they cannot prove it with visual evidence, let it be known that I took no action.
“If any harm comes to one of us, they (Israel) are completely lying. That is called murder,” he added.
Reva Viard
Reva Viard is a French activist known for his involvement in various humanitarian causes, according to Al Jazeera.
In his pre-recorded message, Viard urged the French government to “push for an end to the genocide”.
Sergio Toribio
Sergio Toribio is a Spanish activist and member of the Spanish Boat to Gaza. Toribio is also a member of the marine conservation NGO Sea Shepherd.
Header image: Activist Greta Thunberg and crew stand aboard the aid ship Madleen, which left the Italian port of Catania on June 1 to travel to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid, in this picture released on June 2, 2025 on social media. —Reuters
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