What we know about the interception of the Gaza aid ship by Israel

Israel intercepted the Madleen aid ship destined for Gaza on June 9 and prevented it from breaking the blockade of the Gaza Strip. The civilian ship, organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, had humanitarian aid and 12 passengers on board. Passengers included Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Rima Hassan, MP Sofie Marhaug, former UN official Michael Lynk, Canadian lawyer Dimitri Lascaris, as well as several journalists and crew members. The ship set sail from Sicily on June 1 with baby food, flour, rice, diapers, medical supplies, and children's prosthetics to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel, which imposed the blockade in 2007 along with Egypt to prevent Hamas weapons smuggling, had vowed to stop the Madleen. Israeli forces boarded the ship on June 9. Surveillance footage shows passengers in life jackets as Israeli ships approached. The Flotilla Coalition accused Israel of