If you see this, we’ve been kidnapped: Thunberg’s SOS video before Israel seizes Gaza-bound ship
Gaza/Tel Aviv: Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg appeared in a pre-recorded video shared by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), moments before Israeli forces seized their British-flagged aid ship Madleen, which was en route to Gaza. The video served as a distress message to the global community, in which Thunberg stated that she and her fellow passengers had been “kidnapped in international waters.”
“My name is Greta Thunberg and I am from Sweden. If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel,” she said in the video. “I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible.”
The Madleen, carrying a 12-member crew including Thunberg and French Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, was part of an initiative by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition to deliver a symbolic consignment of humanitarian aid, comprising rice and baby formula, to Gaza and raise awareness about the worsening humanitarian crisis in the region.
The FFC said Israeli forces intercepted the ship in the early hours of Sunday and escorted it to an Israeli port. A photo posted by Rima Hassan on social media showed the crew seated on the deck with life jackets, hands raised.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry later confirmed the vessel’s capture, referring to it as a “selfie yacht” and claiming the mission was a “propaganda effort in support of Hamas.” A statement read, “All the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over.”
Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant had earlier ordered that the Madleen be stopped, describing it as a political provocation. The Israeli government has justified the ongoing naval blockade of Gaza, in place since 2007, as necessary to prevent arms supplies from reaching Hamas.
Since the beginning of Israel’s military operations in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, over 54,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The United Nations has warned that more than 2 million residents in Gaza are now facing the threat of famine.
Despite the Israeli government's dismissal of the aid mission, the FFC maintains that the goal of the voyage was peaceful and aimed at drawing global attention to the dire conditions in Gaza. The coalition called on international governments to intervene and secure the release of all detained activists.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka to witness heavy rain for next 10 days
Bengaluru: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the southwest monsoon will cause heavy rainfall likely this weekend and will drench Karnataka over the next 10 days.
The monsoon has begun retreating from northwestern India. Conditions remain active over the south, with an upper air trough extending up to 1.5 km over North Interior Karnataka and northern Tamil Nadu, combined with weakening monsoon winds across the peninsula, is driving the current spell. N. Puviarasan, head of the IMD’s meteorological centre in Bengaluru, said in a conversation with Deccan Herald, “As a result, the whole of Karnataka will see rain over the next week to 10 days."
With a cyclone in the Pacific Ocean along with a low-pressure system over the north Bay of Bengal, the monsoon is expected to intensify during the next four days. IMD has predicted heavy rains across South Interior Karnataka, including Bengaluru, throughout the weekend.
Bengaluru, recorded widespread moderate to heavy rainfall on Thursday. Between 8.30 am and 8.30 pm, Bengaluru city logged 45.9 mm of rain accompanied by thunderstorms. HAL airport registered 6 mm and the Bengaluru Urban automatic station recorded 47.5 mm. Doddathoguru, near Electronics City, reported 55 mm.
According to IMD forecast heavy rainfall will occur at isolated places in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Yadgir, Koppal, Raichur, Ramanagara and Mandya districts in the next few days.
The southwest monsoon is now expected to extend until mid-October and with little or no break in between, the northeast monsoon is likely to follow immediately. These are expected to last until December. “There may be no break in between,” Puviarasan said.
