Their boat was intercepted on Monday as they attempted to break Israel's naval blockade on Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid.

On June 9, Israeli forces seized the Madleen ship in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea as it attempted to break the suffocating siege on Gaza. The 12 activists on board – who belong to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition – were abducted in international waters and taken to Israel.

Six more activists from the Freedom Flotilla Gaza humanitarian aid mission aboard the Madleen boat were deported from Israel Thursday. They had sought to deliver aid to Gaza but were stopped by Israel's naval blockade.