A Gaza-bound aid ship carrying , which has been by Israel, flies a UK flag. The Madleen is operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC).

It set off from Sicily on June 1 with 12 volunteers onboard, including Thunberg and other prominent activists such as Rima Hassan. It was hoping to deliver a "symbolic amount" of aid to Gaza but was intercepted on Monday morning. It has been confirmed that the activists have been detained and are being taken to .

The Madleen sails under a British flag, which means it is under the jurisdiction of the UK Government and protected under international maritime law. It was launched in a mission to carry humanitarian aid and international human rights defenders to Gaza.

The FFC previously said: "The 'Madleen', a UK-flagged civilian ship en route to Gaza, is protected under international maritime law.

"As a vessel flying the British flag, it falls under the jurisdiction and responsibility of the UK Government, which has a legal duty to defend 'Madleen' and the civilians on board, and to prevent unlawful interference - including any threat or use of force - by foreign powers such as Israel."

However, there has been no comment from the UK Foreign Office on the Madleen. There has been no official confirmation that the owner is from the UK.

Flying the UK flag on a boat offers a number of benefits, including lower registration fees, no annual flag taxes, and average annual commercial fees under £500. It also gives potential access to the UK Tonnage Tax scheme.

As well as being seen as a symbol of national pride, the flag also signifies adherence to the UK's maritime safety regulations. The Government provides support to boats flying the flag.

The Madleen, formerly the Barcarole, was renamed in honour of Gaza's first fisherwoman, Madleen Culab. She began fishing at 15 and sold fish in a local market to support her family.

The crew onboard reported seeing a drone flying over the vessel on June 3 and called on the UK Government to protect the safety of those onboard. The FFC also called on politicians to "reject the legitimacy of 's blockade and actively support efforts to deliver humanitarian aid and uphold international law".

The boat was boarded by Israeli forces in the early hours of Monday morning, with the foreign ministry confirming that all passengers were safe and unharmed.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a post on X: "All the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over." They added: "Greta Thunberg is currently on her way to Israel, safe and in good spirits."

Meanwhile, Huwaida Arraf, a Freedom Flotilla organiser, said: "Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen. These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalized for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade - their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end immediately."