Greta Thunberg arrest footage released by Israel as military boards aid vessel

The Israeli Foreign Ministry posted a short video to social media on Wednesday that appeared to show Swedish political activist Greta Thunberg being arrested.

"Already several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port," the post read. "Greta and her friends are safe and healthy."

She was part of a convoy of about 500 aid workers that was sailing toward Gaza on a "peaceful mission" to deliver supplies to beleaguered Palestinian residents. The Global Sumud Flotilla consisted of more than 40 civilian boats, occupied by lawyers, parliamentarians and others aiming to break Israel's blockade of Gaza despite repeated warnings to turn away.

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Around 20 Israeli military vessels intercepted the flotilla 75 miles off the Gaza coast. The boats had entered what is described as a "danger zone" or "high risk zone" located in international waters north of Egypt. The Israeli navy had previously stopped other boats in the area.

"You are approaching a blockaded zone," an Israeli Navy official said to the convoy. "If you wish to deliver aid to Gaza, you may do so through the established channels."

Israeli officials ordered the flotilla vessels to disable their engines, according to social media posts by activists on board.

Some activists published prerecorded videos on social media, saying that if they were watching the video, they had been captured by Israeli forces, according to The Guardian.

Thunberg was arrested and detained in an Israeli prison for several days this summer after a previous flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces.

In the video posted by Israel's Foreign Ministry, the young activist, who was wrapped in a white shawl, looked to be holding a bottle of water.

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The mission of Thunberg and her fellow activists in deploying flotillas toward Gaza, they say, is to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians who have been subjected to displacement, famine and genocide at the hands of Israel.

Her flotilla followed 15 years of similar attempts to breach Israel's blockade, many of which were intercepted.

Israel has maintained a naval blockade of Gaza since 2007, when terror group Hamas took over Gaza. In March 2025, Israel instituted a total blockade of supplies to Gaza for three months. A flotilla that attempted to reach Gaza during this time was attacked by Israeli drones.

"I think the world needs a lot more young angry women, to be honest. Especially with everything going on right now," Thunberg said in June after a previous flotilla was intercepted and she was subsequently deported.

The Global Sumud Flotilla has received support from many foreign ministers, including leaders in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Colombia.