Greta Thunberg Deported After Attempt to Reach Gaza on Aid Flotilla

On October 6, Israeli authorities confirmed that Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, along with over 170 other activists, was deported after being detained while attempting to reach Gaza on the Global Sumud Flotilla. Photos released by Israeli officials show Thunberg and other participants in gray sweatsuits and white t-shirts, leaving Israel under supervision. Thunberg and several activists were flown to Athens, Greece.

Israel insists that the legal rights of all detainees were fully upheld during their detention and dismissed allegations of mistreatment as a “pre-planned fake news campaign.”

However, reports from The Guardian and the Swedish foreign ministry revealed concerns about Thunberg’s conditions in custody, including claims of being kept in a bedbug-infested cell, limited food and water, dehydration, and developing rashes. Thunberg was also reportedly forced to hold flags for photos, allegations which Israeli officials categorically deny.

The 22-year-old activist had attempted multiple times to enter Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid amid the ongoing blockade, which has led to malnutrition and health crises in the territory. The flotilla comprised over 437 activists, parliamentarians, and lawyers on more than 40 vessels. Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla in international waters, detaining participants at Ketziot Prison in the Negev Desert before deporting them.

Supporters of Thunberg describe her detention as harsh and politically motivated, while Israeli authorities maintain that their handling of the activists adhered to legal and humanitarian standards.