Thunberg was among 12 people on board a vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which was intercepted by the Israeli navy on Sunday while trying to breach the longstanding maritime blockade around Gaza. The ship had departed from Sicily on June 1, carrying aid including rice and infant formula.
Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed on Tuesday morning that the activists had been taken to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and deported.
"Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France)," the ministry said. It dismissed the vessel as a "selfie yacht" and warned that those refusing to sign deportation documents would face legal proceedings.
The blockade, imposed by Israel after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, is aimed at preventing weapons from reaching the militant group. It has remained in place through several conflicts, including the ongoing war that began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Israel's military response has left much of Gaza in ruins. Health officials in the Hamas-run territory say more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed. In March, Israel imposed a complete blockade on all supplies entering Gaza. Although limited aid has recently been allowed in under an Israeli-controlled distribution mechanism, the United Nations has warned that much of the population is on the brink of famine.
According to the BBC, passengers on board the intercepted vessel included citizens of Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey. Among them were French MEP Rima Hassan and Al Jazeera journalist Omar Faiad.
Protests condemning Israel’s actions and calling for the activists' release were held on Monday in cities including Paris and Sydney, where demonstrators gathered outside the office of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Protesters hold placards as they gather outside the office of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 09 June 2025. Pro-Palestine activists demanded action and protested the detention by Israeli forces of activists aboard the Gaza-bound ship Madleen, which was attempting to deliver humanitarian aid. Photo: BIANCA DE MARCHI AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT.PAP/EPA
La France Insoumise (LFI) party leader Jean-Luc Melenchon (R) speaks during a solidarity rally for Gaza and Palestine at the Place de la Republique in Paris, France, 09 June 2025. La France Insoumise organizes a protest against Israel’s interception of the Freedom Flotilla and the arrest of 12 humanitarians, including French MEP Rima Hassan and climate activist Greta Thunberg. Photo: MOHAMMED BADRA/PAP/EPA
Demonstrators wave Palestinian flags during a solidarity rally for Gaza and Palestine at the Place de la Republique in Paris, France, 09 June 2025. La France Insoumise organizes a protest against Israel’s interception of the Freedom Flotilla and the arrest of 12 humanitarians, including French MEP Rima Hassan and climate activist Greta Thunberg. Photo: MOHAMMED BADRA/PAP/EPA.
Protesters hold placards as they gather outside the office of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 09 June 2025. Pro-Palestine activists demanded action and protested the detention by Israeli forces of activists aboard the Gaza-bound ship Madleen, which was attempting to deliver humanitarian aid. Photo: BIANCA DE MARCHI AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT/PAP/EPA.
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Source: IAR/BBC/Reuters/X/@IsraelMFA/Facebook.com/gretathunbergsweden