Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel on Tuesday, just one day after Israeli forces intercepted and seized the Gaza-bound vessel she was aboard. The climate activist was traveling with a group of international campaigners on a humanitarian mission to deliver aid to Gaza, a territory facing severe shortages due to a prolonged conflict and blockade.
After her deportation, Thunberg arrived in Paris as she made her way back to Sweden. Speaking to reporters, she called for the release of the other activists who remained in detention. Reflecting on her time in custody, she described it as a “quite chaotic and uncertain” experience. However, she emphasized that what she endured was minor in comparison to the suffering of the Palestinian people. “The conditions they faced are absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine and especially Gaza right now,” she stated.
The journey, organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, aimed to challenge Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid entering Gaza. Over 2 million people reside in the territory, many of whom rely almost entirely on external aid for survival. According to the group, the mission was intended to protest Israel’s control over aid delivery following a 20-month war in Gaza. Thunberg remarked, “We were well aware of the risks of this mission. The aim was to get to Gaza and to be able to distribute the aid.” She confirmed that despite the setback, the activists remained committed to delivering aid to Gaza in the future.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Thunberg, calling her “a young angry person” and suggesting she enroll in anger management classes. In response, Thunberg remarked, “I think the world need a lot more young angry women.”
Still recovering from the ordeal, Thunberg mentioned she was unsure of her exact itinerary, had not used a phone in several days, and was eager for a shower. She explained that the activists were detained in separate facilities, and many faced difficulties in securing legal representation. When asked why she accepted deportation, she responded, “Why would I want to stay in an Israeli prison more than necessary?”
Thunberg urged her supporters to take action by pressuring their governments to push not only for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza but also for a broader political resolution. She said, “Ask your governments to demand not only humanitarian aid being let into Gaza but most importantly an end to the occupation and an end to the systemic oppression and violence that Palestinians are facing on an everyday basis.” She added that recognition of Palestine by other nations is “the very, very, very minimum” they could do.
Thunberg had been one of 12 individuals on board the Madleen when it was intercepted by the Israeli navy about 200 kilometers (125 miles) off the Gaza coast on Monday. Israeli authorities stated that the ship was seized peacefully. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition and allied human rights organizations have condemned the operation as a breach of international law, since it occurred in international waters. However, Israel rejected these allegations, arguing that the naval blockade on Gaza is lawful and that the intercepted vessel sought to violate it.
Israeli officials dismissed the mission as more symbolic than practical, referring to the Madleen as a “selfie yacht” and claiming its aid cargo was “meager,” amounting to less than a single truckload.
According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, three activists, including Thunberg, and a journalist were deported. The group stated it had advised some individuals to accept deportation so they could speak freely about what they had experienced. “Their detention is unlawful, politically motivated and a direct violation of international law,” the coalition said in a statement. Eight others who refused deportation remained in custody at Givon Prison in Ramle. Their legal cases were heard on Tuesday by Israeli authorities at a detention tribunal.
Lubna Tuma, an attorney with the legal rights organization Adalah, represented the detained activists. She said, “We argued today, and that also was emphasized by all the activists, that their goal is to enter humanitarian aid to Gaza, to end the famine and to end a genocide in Gaza. Any violation or any prohibition to entering the humanitarian aid to Gaza is deepening the complicity of Israel in the famine in Gaza.”
Tuma and other legal representatives pointed out that since the activists were captured in international waters and brought into Israel by force, the Israeli authorities had no legitimate legal grounds to detain or deport them.
Sabine Haddad, spokesperson for Israel’s Interior Ministry, explained that those who were deported on Tuesday had chosen to waive their right to a judicial hearing. The remaining detainees are scheduled to appear before a judge and will be held for up to 96 hours before further decisions are made regarding their deportation.
One of the detained passengers was Rima Hassan, a member of the European Parliament from France who is of Palestinian descent. Hassan had previously been barred from entering Israel due to her public criticism of its policies toward Palestinians. It was not immediately clear whether she was being deported or remained in custody.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed that one of the French nationals involved signed a deportation agreement and would be returning home Tuesday. The remaining five French activists had refused to sign, though all had received consular assistance.
In Barcelona, Spanish activist Sergio Toribio expressed outrage at the treatment he and the others received. “It is unforgivable, it is a violation of our rights. It is a pirate attack in international waters,” he told reporters upon his return.
The broader backdrop of this incident is the ongoing blockade of Gaza. Since Hamas seized control of Gaza from rival Palestinian factions in 2007, both Israel and Egypt have enforced varying degrees of blockade. Israel defends its measures as necessary to prevent Hamas from importing weapons, while critics argue that the blockade effectively punishes Gaza’s civilian population collectively.
The current war in Gaza, ongoing for 20 months, has seen Israel restrict and at times completely block aid supplies such as food, fuel, and medicine. Humanitarian experts claim these policies are driving the region toward famine. Israel, on the other hand, accuses Hamas of diverting aid for its own use.
The conflict escalated dramatically after an October 7, 2023, assault by Hamas-led militants that left about 1,200 people dead, most of them civilians, and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages. While many hostages have since been freed in ceasefire agreements or prisoner swaps, Hamas still holds 55 individuals, more than half of whom are believed to have died.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has resulted in over 54,000 Palestinian deaths, according to figures from the Gaza Health Ministry. While the ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians, it reports that most of the casualties are women and children. In addition to the staggering death toll, vast areas of Gaza have been destroyed and approximately 90% of the territory’s residents have been displaced.