Did Israel Deport Swedish Activist Greta Thunberg After Intercepting a Gaza-Bound Aid Boat?

Jerusalem, June 10 (NationPress) - On Tuesday, Israeli authorities deported Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, just a day after she and eleven other campaigners were apprehended while attempting to breach the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip aboard a humanitarian aid vessel.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on social media platform X that, "Greta Thunberg has just left Israel on a flight to Sweden (with a stop in France)." The ministry shared two images: one of her boarding the plane with her hands restrained and another of her seated inside the aircraft.

According to reports from state broadcaster Kan, Thunberg, aged 22, along with the other activists, was taken to Ben Gurion Airport for deportation. It was noted that she was seated in a rear seat with no option to recline.

Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel confirmed that multiple activists were being sent to the airport for deportation, stating he had directed that all twelve members of the flotilla be returned to their respective countries.

He emphasized, "Israel will not allow its sovereignty to be undermined by protest flotilla provocations at its borders."

The Foreign Ministry indicated that activists who consented to sign documents agreeing to leave voluntarily were expected to exit Israel on Tuesday. Those who did not comply would face a judicial authority for deportation proceedings.

Consular officials from the activists’ home nations met them at the airport, as reported by the ministry.

Adalah, a legal rights organization in Israel, stated that four activists opted for immediate repatriation, while eight others are contesting their deportation orders and will be held in a detention center pending a court hearing, the timing of which remains uncertain.

Following the Israeli forces' seizure of the aid vessel Madleen early Monday, those aboard were reportedly held at sea for several hours before being transferred to Ashdod port after nightfall.

Israel intercepted the charity ship in international waters and escorted it to Ashdod, a move the Freedom Flotilla Coalition condemned as illegal, labeling it a "kidnapping." The vessel was said to be carrying essential humanitarian supplies, including food and medicine, intended for the people of Gaza.

This incident occurred about a month after another flotilla vessel, Conscience, suffered damage from an alleged drone strike in international waters near Malta, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Israel has maintained a naval blockade on Gaza since 2007 following Hamas's rise to power in the region, with restrictions further intensified after Hamas's cross-border attack in October 2023.

The ongoing Israeli military operations have severely impacted Gaza's infrastructure, plunging its over 2 million residents into a profound humanitarian crisis. UN agencies are warning of an imminent famine, with the entire population facing acute food insecurity.