Greta Thunberg Among Activists Deported by Israel

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has been deported by Israel after being detained with other campaigners aboard a boat attempting to deliver aid to Gaza. Israeli authorities intercepted the vessel, named Madleen, in international waters on Monday and escorted it to the port of Ashdod.

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The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed on Tuesday that Thunberg was put on a flight to Sweden via France. She was among 12 activists detained during the maritime mission, which aimed to challenge Israel’s blockade on Gaza and bring in humanitarian supplies.

According to Adalah, a legal rights group representing the crew, three people voluntarily agreed to immediate deportation. Eight others are contesting their deportation and will remain in a detention center until a court hearing.

The group had departed from Italy on June 1 as part of a symbolic mission organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. They were carrying small amounts of aid, mainly rice, baby formula, and medical supplies, and said they were unarmed civilians on a peaceful mission.

Israel, however, dismissed the action as a publicity stunt. “The passengers of the 'Selfie Yacht' arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries,” the Foreign Ministry posted on X. It added that consular officials from the activists’ home countries met them at the airport.

French President Emmanuel Macron weighed in, calling for the return of French nationals on board and for a ceasefire in Gaza. “What’s happening is a disgrace,” he said, demanding an end to the humanitarian blockade.

Adalah pointed out that the interception occurred in international waters, where Israel has no legal jurisdiction. The Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz, nonetheless defended the operation. He claimed the voyage supported Hamas and ordered the activists to be shown footage from the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. Thunberg and others reportedly refused to watch the videos.

Thunberg was not alone on the vessel. The crew also included French-Palestinian politician Rima Hassan, as well as volunteers from Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Brazil, and Turkey. The Israeli government said the aid on board “not consumed by the 'celebrities'” would be sent to Gaza through official humanitarian channels.

This isn’t the first time an aid vessel headed to Gaza has been stopped. In May, another boat called Conscience was reportedly hit by a drone strike before reaching its destination, an incident also attributed to Israel by the organisers.

Meanwhile, on land, a convoy of nine buses carrying doctors and supporters departed Tunisia on Monday, aiming to reach Gaza as a “symbolic act of solidarity.” The Soumoud (“steadfastness”) convoy is expected to pass through Libya and Egypt, although it's still waiting on clearance from Cairo.

Nearly 20 months into the Gaza war, the humanitarian situation remains dire. The UN continues to warn of famine across the enclave, while peace talks between Israel and Hamas remain stalled. The blockade imposed by Israel on March 2 has only recently been partially eased.

As activists and governments push for humanitarian access and a ceasefire, Israel's deportation of Greta Thunberg adds to the growing international scrutiny of its actions in Gaza.