India, June 9 -- Israel has intercepted an aid ship that was heading towards Gaza and carried prominent activists like Greta Thunberg.

Israeli authorities detained those who were present on the ship and took them to Israel.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), an organisation that has campaigned against Israel's blockade of Gaza, earlier said it launched the civilian ship Madleen that was carrying humanitarian aid and international human rights defenders.

After the ship was intercepted by Israel, Huwaida Arraf, human rights attorney and Freedom Flotilla organizer, said in a statement: "Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen."

"This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies th...