Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel on Tuesday after Israeli forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid boat she was aboard, along with 11 other international activists, in the Mediterranean Sea, reported by BBC News.
The yacht Madleen, organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was carrying what it called a symbolic shipment of humanitarian aid — including baby formula and medicine — in defiance of Israel’s longstanding maritime blockade of Gaza. According to the FFC, the vessel was surrounded by drones, had its communications jammed, and was sprayed with an unidentified white irritant before Israeli forces boarded the ship early Monday, roughly 115 miles west of Gaza, in what the group insists were international waters.
All 12 passengers were detained and taken to Ashdod port. Thunberg, agreeing to deportation, departed Tel Aviv on a flight to France Tuesday morning. Upon arrival at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport, she denounced Israel’s actions as “illegal kidnapping,” claiming the activists were forcibly taken, held in the bottom of the boat, and denied access to the outside world.
“The real story,” Thunberg told reporters, “is not what happened to us, but what is happening in Gaza — a genocide, a blockade, and a systematic starvation campaign that is preventing food, water, and medicine from reaching civilians.”
Israel’s foreign ministry dismissed the voyage as a publicity stunt, calling the Madleen a “selfie yacht.” Officials insisted the blockade is lawful under international standards and necessary to prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas. Humanitarian supplies from the boat, the ministry said, would be delivered to Gaza through official aid channels.
Of the six French citizens on board — including EU lawmaker Rima Hassan and two journalists — five refused to sign deportation papers and are now facing judicial proceedings in Israel. France’s foreign minister confirmed consular visits had taken place, and negotiations are ongoing.
Thunberg said she was unsure why she had been deported ahead of the others. She noted she signed a form agreeing to leave but did not concede she had entered Israel illegally. She expressed concern for her fellow activists, saying she was not allowed to say goodbye and remains in the dark about their current situation.
The FFC accused Israel of violating international law and demanded the immediate release of the detained activists and the return of the seized aid.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza — reignited in March after a brief ceasefire — has faced increasing international scrutiny. The UN warns that over 2 million people in Gaza are on the brink of famine. Israel recently adjusted its blockade policy, prioritizing distribution through a new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation backed by the U.S., though major aid groups have refused to participate, citing violations of humanitarian neutrality.
The war began after Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, which left 1,200 dead and over 250 taken hostage. Since then, over 54,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
