Israel Deports Greta Thunberg After Naval Forces Seize Gaza Aid Vessel

Israeli naval forces intercepted the Madleen about 100 nautical miles off Gaza’s coast on June 9, detaining 12 activists including Greta Thunberg who sought to deliver symbolic humanitarian aid On June 10, Thunberg and three other activists accepted deportation and were sent to Sweden via France, while eight others are detained awaiting court hearings The Madleen carried small quantities of baby formula, rice and medical supplies for Gaza, with the UN warning of catastrophic hunger and restricted aid access Israel justified the seizure as enforcement of its legal naval blockade to prevent arms smuggling and showed detainees footage of Hamas’s October 7 attacks Human rights organisations and the United Nations have condemned the interception as unlawful collective punishment and demanded unimpeded humanitarian aid to Gaza