Officers have labeled passengers on a Gaza-bound yacht carrying the Swedish activist as “anti-Semitic”
Israeli authorities have deported Swedish activist Greta Thunberg following her detention aboard a Gaza-bound civilian vessel. Thunberg and three different people have been flown overseas early on Tuesday, hours after their boat was compelled to dock on the port of Ashdod.
In keeping with officers, the 4 activists voluntarily agreed to depart Israel, whereas eight others refused and have been subsequently transferred to a detention facility. Activists remaining in custody face involuntary deportation after 96 hours. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the maritime marketing campaign, had anticipated the end result in its public messaging.
Pictures launched by Israel’s Overseas Ministry appeared to indicate Thunberg aboard a airplane departing from Ben Gurion Airport, reportedly en path to Sweden by way of France.
The vessel, named Madleen and dubbed the “selfie yacht” by West Jerusalem, was intercepted on Monday by the Israeli Navy in worldwide waters. Among the many passengers have been French Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan and Irish actor Liam Cunningham. Not like earlier confrontations with Gaza-bound flotillas, no accidents have been reported.
The flotilla effort is a part of a long-running marketing campaign to problem Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, which has been in place since 2007. Related makes an attempt date again to 2010, when 9 activists have been killed throughout an Israeli commando raid, whereas a tenth passenger subsequently died in hospital from accidents.
The most recent mission coincided with ongoing Israeli army operations in Gaza, which started after a lethal incursion by militants from Palestinian group Hamas in October 2023. Critics of the Israeli response have described the marketing campaign as excessively violent and accused West Jerusalem of committing genocide.
BREAKING: Press assertion by Gaza Freedom Flotilla:”We’ve got simply acquired affirmation that each one 12 volunteers from the ‘Madleen’ are presently at Ashdod Port. They’re being processed and transferred into the custody of Israeli authorities. They’re anticipated to be moved to the… pic.twitter.com/psXuv2iISW
— Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) June 10, 2025
Protection Minister Israel Katz mentioned Israeli authorities tried to indicate Thunberg and different detainees a documentary concerning the Hamas assault, however they declined. Katz referred to as the group “anti-Semitic flotilla members” and accused them of ignoring the realities of Palestinian actions.
Thunberg, who gained international recognition for her local weather change activism as a baby, has just lately been vocal in her assist for the Palestinian trigger. She referred to as on the Swedish authorities to denounce the “kidnapping” of the Madleen passengers. Nonetheless, Swedish Overseas Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said that the activists have been “not in peril” whereas in Israeli custody and didn’t require help.
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