The government said Israeli naval forces intercepted the vessel early Monday, approximately 200 kilometers off the Gaza coast.
In a pre-recorded video posted by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition on Monday, Thunberg said her group had been “intercepted and kidnapped” by Israel and called on the Swedish government to put pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Thunberg said the voyage was a peaceful protest against Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza and the worsening humanitarian crisis in the coastal enclave.
The Israeli government, however, considered the mission a breach of its naval blockade and dismissed the operation as a publicity stunt, branding the vessel a “selfie yacht.”
U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Thunberg on Monday evening, calling her a “strange” and “angry” person, and suggested she should take anger management classes.
