The Times of Israel is liveblogging Monday’s events as they happen.
Hundreds turn out for hostage walk in Boulder week after attack
Several hundred people turn out in Boulder, Colorado, for a walk in support of hostages held in Gaza that typically draws only a couple dozen. Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper and other dignitaries are among the participants.
Demonstrators hold signs that read “End Jew Hatred” and hand out stickers stamped with “611,” representing the 611 days since the first Israeli hostages were taken by Hamas.
On a stage near the site of the attack, hundreds gather to listen to speakers and songs. Vendors sell traditional Jewish and Israeli cuisine. In tents marked “Hostage Square,” rows of chairs sit empty save for photos of the hostages and the exhortation “Bring them home now!”
Moshe Lavi, whose brother-in-law Omri Miran is among the hostages, thanks local demonstrators for their bravery in advocating for his family. He describes Miran as a gentle and loving gardener, husband and father to two young children.
The event takes place as part of a Jewish cultural festival, which was reimagined this year to highlight the stories of Israeli hostages after a man who yelled “Free Palestine” threw Molotov cocktails at marchers a week ago, injuring 15 people.
In pre-recorded videos, hostages’ families thank festivalgoers. One of Miran’s children says in Hebrew, “When daddy comes back from Gaza, he’ll take me to kindergarten.”
“Just seeing them speaking to us, here, with all they’re going through, their supporting us is kind of mind blowing,” says Merav Tsubely, an Israeli-American who came to the festival from a city north of Boulder. “It just reminds us how connected we all are.”
The Boulder Police Department and the FBI coordinated to provide increased security at the festival as well as local synagogues and the Boulder Jewish Community Center. Officers guard the event’s entrances, and police Chief Stephen Redfearn said some plainclothes officers would be present in the crowd. On a rooftop near the stage, three hold rifles and use binoculars to monitor the crowd as drones buzzed overhead.
Matan Gold-Edelstein’s father was present last weekend and helped douse the fire that burned an older woman. Gold-Edelstein, a 19-year-old college student, says the well-attended festival was a great show of humanity, regardless of religion or politics.
“We’re not here to be in support of a war,” he says. “We’re here in support of our religion, in support of our people and in support of the innocent people who are still being held hostage.”
Israel publishes video showing detained activists from Madleen ‘safe and unharmed’
Israel’s Foreign Ministry publishes a video showing detained activists from a boat bound for Gaza being escorted by the Israeli Navy to the Ashdod Port.
“All the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over,” the ministry says on X.
Earlier, the ministry said that the boat, Madleen, was being towed to Israeli shores, that the activists would be deported, and the “tiny amount of aid” it was carrying would be sent to Gaza.
All the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over. pic.twitter.com/tLZZYcspJO
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025
Israel confirms it took control of Gaza-bound boat, activists to be sent home
The activist boat headed for Gaza, Madleen, is being towed by the Israeli Navy to Israel after troops boarded the vessel a short while ago, Israel confirms.
“The ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry says in a statement.
There are no reports of injuries after soldiers boarded the boat carrying 12 pro-Palestinian activists, who said they were sailing for Gaza to raise awareness and deliver aid. It is unclear where they are being held.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the boat, says contact has been lost. On Telegram, it publishes a series of pre-recorded videos of those aboard asking for help from their home countries.
The ministry says Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and the others aboard Madleen “attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity.”
The boat was carrying “less than a single truckload of aid,” it says, noting that “more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks, and in addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza.”
“There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies. The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the ‘celebrities’ will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels,” the ministry adds.
The Israeli military has not commented on the incident, instead referring reporters to the ministry’s announcement.
The “selfie yacht” of the “celebrities” is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries.
While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included… pic.twitter.com/eEZSJJHVfd
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025
Flotilla Coalition says soldiers board Gaza-bound activist ship
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition says on Telegram that soldiers have boarded the activist ship headed for Gaza and that its connection with the ship has been lost.
“Connection has been lost on the ‘Madleen’. Israeli army have boarded the vessel,” it says.
A picture published by the group shows the ship’s passengers wearing lifejackets with their hands in the air. No soldiers can be seen in the picture.
Connection has now been lost with the Freedom Flotilla. The Israeli occupation army have now boarded the Madleen. pic.twitter.com/E2OrJGcoOM
— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) June 9, 2025
Another video posted online shows an activist with her hands in the air as bright lights strobe in the background.
????URGENT | The Israeli army has boarded the Freedom Flotilla Madleen, taken control, and cut off communications!!! pic.twitter.com/GphcXGN8C5
— Martyrs of Gaza (@GazaMartyrs) June 9, 2025
There is no immediate comment from Israeli authorities.
Navy tells activist ship headed to Gaza to change course
A video shows the Israeli Navy communicating with the Madleen activist boat nearing the Gaza Strip over a loudspeaker.
“The maritime zone near the coast of Gaza is closed to naval traffic as part of a legal naval blockade,” a soldier is seen saying in English. She adds that humanitarian aid can be delivered to Gaza via Ashdod.
The Foreign Ministry says the navy “has instructed the ‘selfie yacht’ to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area.”
The Israeli Navy is currently communicating with the “selfie yacht”. Using an international civilian communication system, the Israeli Navy has instructed the “selfie yacht” to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area. pic.twitter.com/KnSqWrsXU2
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 8, 2025
Activists on board the ship post a video showing them hunkering down as a drone hovers overhead.
“We are right here surrounded by Israeli drones. Please sound the alarm,” an activist is heard saying. “Please take cover everyone. Assume positions.”
Je suis journaliste et après avoir couvert pendant une semaine le convoi de la Feeedom Flotilla mon arrestation par l'armée israélienne est imminente. Des humanitaires et des journalistes n'ont pas être arrêté J'appelle tous mes confrères à se mobiliser. @blast_france pic.twitter.com/T1hiNZXLQf
— Yanis Mhamdi (@yanmdi) June 8, 2025
Foreign Ministry says activist boat ‘a media gimmick,’ warns against sailing into ‘conflict area’ off Gaza
In a lengthy post on X, the Foreign Ministry says an activist ship seeking to challenge the blockade on Gaza is “a media gimmick,” as an Israeli interception of the ship and its high-profile crew looms.
“The yacht is claiming that it is delivering humanitarian aid. In fact, it is a media gimmick for publicity (which includes less than a single truckload of aid) – a ‘selfie yacht,’” the ministry says of the “celebrities yacht,” which is carrying Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, and Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian European Parliament member.
The boat is being closely tracked by international media, and the statement is likely intended to head off the expected outcry, including from European governments, should Israel move to block the boat.
Activists say they are aiming to deliver humanitarian aid, while raising awareness over the growing humanitarian crisis 20 months into the war between Israel and the Hamas terror group.
The Foreign Ministry statement says aid is being delivered “regularly and effectively via different channels and routes, and is transferred through established distribution mechanisms,” citing claims from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation of nearly 11 million meals handed out via boxes of dry goods.
“The Gaza maritime zone remains an active conflict area, and Hamas has previously exploited sea routes for terrorist attacks, including the October 7th massacre. Unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts,” the ministry says. “We call on all actors to act responsibly and to channel humanitarian aid through legitimate, coordinated mechanisms, not through provocation.”
Gaza-bound boat says vessel that triggered alarm has turned back
A vessel that was approaching Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s Gaza-bound ship the Madleen has left, the coalition says, after an alarm was sounded on the ship warning of a possible interception.
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who says she is in contact with activists aboard the vessel, reports that the activist boat — which is attempting to challenge Israel’s blockade on Gaza — is continuing on its journey.
“All looks calm and safe now. Speedboats watching; but the flotilla continues its sailing. It will be a long night,” she writes on X.
Israeli ships said to surround Gaza-bound boat as activists sound alarm
Members of a high-profile marine mission attempting to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza claim that they are being surrounded by Israeli forces.
A video shared by activist Thiago Avilo shows him wearing a lifejacket as an alarm sounds behind him.
“We are being surrounded by their boats. Yes, this is an interception,” he says.
https://t.co/uORYQ5lZN6 pic.twitter.com/XTn1V8EiCv
— Yassine Benzadi (ياسين بن زادي ) (@BenzBe68064) June 8, 2025
Special UN Rapporteur Francesca Albanese writes on X that members of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition tell her they are being surrounded by five Israeli military boats.
“The captain is instructing the team to stay calm and seated, with their passports and life jackets on,” she writes.
French parliamentarian Rema Hassan, who is on board the boat, posts that “our life jackets are on, we’re waiting.”
There is no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
Mayor orders New York City to use IHRA definition of antisemitism
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announces an executive order to recognize the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism.
The order directs city agencies to use the IHRA definition to identify and address incidents of antisemitism, the mayor’s office says.
Adams’s office also says he is introducing legislation to the city council, calling on the council to codify the IHRA definition.
The IHRA definition of antisemitism has been adopted by groups and governments worldwide, but is contested because it covers some examples of anti-Israel rhetoric, such as denying the Jewish people the right to self determination.
Last month, Adams announced a new task force under his purview aimed at combating antisemitism, responding to major spikes in antisemitic hate crimes in New York City in recent years. The Office to Combat Antisemitism is the first of its kind in a major US city.
The mayor is seeking re-election in November, and has petitioned to run on an “EndAntisemitism” ballot line.
Israel and Jewish issues are prominent topics in the high-profile race for the city’s Democratic party mayoral primary later this month. Adams is running as an independent.