Israel deports Greta Thunberg (PHOTOS)
According to officials, the four activists voluntarily agreed to leave Israel, while eight others refused and were subsequently transferred to a detention facility. Activists remaining in custody face involuntary deportation after 96 hours. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the maritime campaign, had anticipated the outcome in its public messaging.
Photos released by Israel's Foreign Ministry appeared to show Thunberg aboard a plane departing from Ben Gurion Airport, reportedly en route to Sweden via France.
The vessel, named Madleen and dubbed the 'selfie yacht' by West Jerusalem, was intercepted on Monday by the Israeli Navy in international waters. Among the passengers were French Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan and Irish actor Liam Cunningham. Unlike previous confrontations with Gaza-bound flotillas, no injuries were reported.
Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France). pic.twitter.com/kWrI9KVoqX
The flotilla effort is part of a long-running campaign to challenge Israel's naval blockade of Gaza, which has been in place since 2007. Similar attempts date back to 2010, when nine activists were killed during an Israeli commando raid, while a tenth passenger subsequently died in hospital from injuries.
The latest mission coincided with ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza, which began after a deadly incursion by militants from Palestinian group Hamas in October 2023. Critics of the Israeli response have described the campaign as excessively violent and accused West Jerusalem of committing genocide.
BREAKING: Press statement by Gaza Freedom Flotilla:"We have just received confirmation that all 12 volunteers from the 'Madleen' are currently at Ashdod Port. They are being processed and transferred into the custody of Israeli authorities. They are expected to be moved to the… pic.twitter.com/psXuv2iISW
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israeli authorities attempted to show Thunberg and other detainees a documentary about the Hamas attack, but they declined. Katz called the group 'anti-Semitic flotilla members' and accused them of ignoring the realities of Palestinian actions.
Thunberg, who gained global recognition for her climate change activism as a child, has recently been vocal in her support for the Palestinian cause. She called on the Swedish government to denounce the 'kidnapping' of the Madleen passengers. However, Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard stated that the activists were 'not in danger' while in Israeli custody and did not require assistance.
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