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Israel Deports Greta Thunberg After Seizing Gaza-Bound Aid Ship

Her return to Stockholm has intensified scrutiny of Israel’s naval blockade with eight fellow activists still detained after refusing to sign expulsion orders.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg with other activists from a human rights organization meets with journalists in Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025, ahead of their departure for the Mideast. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

Overview

  • Israeli naval forces intercepted the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s vessel Madleen on June 6 in international waters and towed it to Ashdod following an attempt to deliver baby formula, food and medical supplies to Gaza.
  • Thunberg and three other passengers signed deportation documents and were flown via France to Sweden on June 10 in line with Israeli Foreign Ministry directives.
  • Eight activists, including French MEP Rima Hassan, declined to waive their rights and remain held at Givon Prison pending hearings before an Israeli immigration tribunal.
  • The Swedish campaigner denounced her detention as a “kidnapping” and accused Israel of enforcing a “systematic starvation” of Gaza’s two million residents, allegations Israel rejects.
  • Rights groups such as Amnesty International and Adalah criticized the seizure and 100-year entry bans as violations of international law governing blockades and civilian protections.