Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been deported from Israel after she was detained by Israeli forces aboard a charity boat bound for Gaza with aid, the Israel foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
“Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France),” the ministry said in a statement on X, accompanied by two photos of the activist on a plane.
As per the Middle East Eye, which does not mention the names of other three activists to be deported on Tuesday, video footage circulated by Israel media of Thunberg on the plane showed an Israeli man calling her a French slur.
Thunberg was a member of the 12-strong crew of activists aboard the Madleen that set sail on 1 June from Italy with the intention of breaking Israel’s total siege on Gaza.
In the early hours of Monday morning, Israeli forces stormed the boat, taking the activists to the port of Ashdod and detaining them.
In the immediate aftermath of the seizure, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which organised the voyage, said they were “urgently” trying to locate the activists after the boat was “illegally” intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that he had instructed Israeli forces to “show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre”.
Israeli broadcaster Kan reported that four of the 12 activists are expected to be deported on Tuesday, adding that eight of them had refused to sign their deportation papers, delaying their departure.
“Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorise their deportation,” the Israeli foreign ministry wrote on X.
The FFC said that the remaining eight activists were “expected to be moved to the Ramleh detention facility unless they agree to leave immediately”.
“We continue to demand the immediate release of all volunteers and the return of the stolen aid. Their detention is unlawful and a violation of international law,” the coalition added.
Israeli rights group, Adalah, who represents the activists said that they met with them late last night, following “multiple requests” for access.
The group added that the remaining eight activists will contest their deportation before an Israeli tribunal.
Adalah lawyers are currently en route to Givon Prison in Ramleh, where the volunteers are being held, to represent them at the hearings.
