TEL AVIV, Israel — Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has been deported from Israel following her participation in a Gaza-bound aid mission that was intercepted by the Israeli military earlier this week.
Thunberg, 22, departed Israel on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, aboard a flight to Sweden via France, according to a statement from Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
The announcement, posted on social media platform X, was accompanied by a photo of Thunberg boarding the plane at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.
“Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France),” the ministry said.
Thunberg had been part of a group of international activists aboard the Madleen, a civilian vessel organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) that set sail from Sicily in a bid to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza.
The boat was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters early Monday, drawing widespread attention and sparking diplomatic controversy.
While Thunberg and at least three other passengers were released and flown home, eight additional activists remain in Israeli custody after reportedly refusing to sign deportation documents.
Among those still detained is Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament, according to Israeli news outlet ynet.
The activists are being held at a detention facility near the airport and could remain there for up to 96 hours unless they consent to deportation.
Interior Minister Moshe Arbel has formally barred all participants from entering Israel.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the flotilla as a political stunt, calling it a “provocation” and referring to the Madleen as a “selfie yacht.”
Officials said the aid would be transferred to Gaza through authorised humanitarian channels, though critics argue that the blockade has severely limited effective access.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant ordered the interception of the vessel, and Israeli forces boarded it early Monday, seizing its cargo and detaining all those onboard.
The FFC condemned the operation, asserting that the vessel was forcibly boarded in international waters and that Israel acted beyond its jurisdiction.
“This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza,” said Huwaida Arraf, a human rights lawyer and FFC organiser.
The incident comes amid mounting international pressure on Israel over the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The enclave has endured severe shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies under a blockade that has lasted more than three months.
Although some aid has trickled in since late May, humanitarian organisations warn it remains far below what is needed to avert widespread famine.
Thunberg had joined the flotilla in an attempt to draw global attention to the plight of civilians in Gaza and to challenge Israel’s military campaign.
In a pre-recorded message released after communications with the Madleen were lost, she said: “If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel.”
The deportations and continued detentions are expected to further amplify scrutiny over Israel’s handling of humanitarian efforts, as well as its enforcement of the Gaza blockade.
