Greta Thunberg Deported from Israel After Attempting to Break Gaza Blockade, Condemns ‘War Crimes’

Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel after trying to deliver aid to Gaza, calling Israel’s actions war crimes.

Paris, FR. (WE) — Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel on Tuesday after Israeli authorities detained her during an attempt to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea. Thunberg had joined 11 international activists aboard the Madleen, a UK-flagged yacht organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, to challenge the Israeli blockade.

The Israeli Navy intercepted the yacht in international waters and redirected it to Ashdod. Authorities then transported the passengers to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. Four activists, including Thunberg, agreed to immediate deportation. The other eight, including Rima Hassan, a member of the European Parliament, refused and remain in custody at Givon Prison in Ramla.

Thunberg, now back in Paris, described the operation as a kidnapping. “We were 12 peaceful volunteers sailing with aid in international waters,” she said. “No laws were broken. Nothing we did was wrong.” The 22-year-old activist accused Israel of committing war crimes by blocking aid from reaching Gaza’s starving population.

Israel defended its actions. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the mission a “pro-Hamas publicity stunt.” He dismissed the aid delivery as symbolic and ineffective. “Greta and her friends brought a tiny amount of aid on their celebrity yacht. It didn’t help the people of Gaza. This was nothing but a ridiculous gimmick,” he told reporters.

Saar confirmed that authorities would reroute the aid through official Israeli channels. These supplies are now expected to reach Gaza via the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a recently formed group managing aid distribution under Israeli oversight.

Thunberg defended the mission. She said their larger supply ship never left port after drones—allegedly operated by Israel—disabled it in the Mediterranean last month. “We tried to bring more,” she explained. “We were stopped with force.”

She also responded to past criticism from Donald Trump, who once described her as an “angry person.” Thunberg replied with a smile, “The world needs more young angry women, especially right now.”

The Madleen set sail from Trapani, Sicily, in early June. Organizers hoped to break the blockade and deliver critical aid to Gaza. Israeli forces intercepted the vessel just as it approached the region’s waters.

Adalah, a legal advocacy group for Arab minority rights in Israel, is representing the detained activists. The organization said its lawyers met with 11 of the 12 passengers after the Madleen’s capture. At least four have now left the country, while the remaining eight intend to challenge their deportation before an Israeli tribunal.

Video footage released by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition shows Israeli boats surrounding the yacht. Activists can be seen raising their hands in surrender as bright lights flash from nearby vessels. Among the passengers were Brazilian politician Thiago Ávila and French doctor Baptiste André. André has already been deported, while Ávila remains in detention.

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Defense Minister Yoav Gallant revealed that the military screened footage of the October 7 Hamas attacks for the detained activists. The display aimed to justify Israel’s ongoing blockade and war in Gaza. Critics, however, saw the move as intimidation rather than a legitimate legal step.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched a deadly assault on Israel, killing over 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli estimates. The attacks triggered Israel’s large-scale military operation in Gaza. Since then, airstrikes and ground assaults have killed more than 55,000 people, including thousands of children, according to Gaza health officials.

In March 2025, Israel intensified its blockade, stopping all aid deliveries. That decision, condemned internationally, pushed Gaza’s population—over 2.1 million people—to the brink of famine.

Over the last two weeks, Israel has eased restrictions slightly. Authorities say more than 1,200 trucks entered Gaza during this period, delivering approximately 10 million meals. The Israeli Foreign Ministry shared those numbers in a post on X. But humanitarian groups argue the aid falls far short. The math supports their case. For Gaza’s population, the total aid amounts to less than one-third of a meal per person per day.

Before the war, more than 500 aid trucks crossed into Gaza daily. The British Red Cross and UNRWA warn that the current rate cannot meet even basic needs. Gaza’s infrastructure lies in ruins. Hospitals struggle without medicine, and clean water is scarce.

Thunberg emphasized that ignoring Gaza’s suffering undermines justice everywhere. “You can’t fight for climate justice without standing for human rights,” she told reporters. “The planet is dying, and so are people trapped in wars fueled by greed and political power.”

Though best known for her climate advocacy, Thunberg said she saw the mission as an extension of her values. In 2019, she famously crossed the Atlantic by sailboat to attend a United Nations summit. She avoids flights to limit her carbon footprint. This time, she traveled mostly by train and boat before flying out from Tel Aviv after her forced deportation.

The Madleen’s journey echoes a similar event from 2010, when Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship trying to break the Gaza blockade. That raid left 10 activists dead and strained relations between Israel and Turkey. Although the Madleen operation didn’t end in bloodshed, the political impact remains.

Multiple governments have criticized Israel’s actions. Spain, Norway, and Ireland recently recognized the State of Palestine. This move reflects growing frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently evaluating whether Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide. Israel has called the accusations baseless, but UN officials and independent observers have documented widespread civilian harm and potential war crimes.

Thunberg said she plans to continue speaking out. “We tried to help, and we will keep trying,” she said before leaving the Paris airport. She hasn’t confirmed her next destination but hinted that more advocacy lies ahead.

For now, eight detainees still await their court hearing in Israel. Their legal teams will argue for their release and defend their right to deliver humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, Thunberg’s actions have drawn both praise and criticism, but she remains undeterred.

At just 22, Greta Thunberg has already become one of the most influential voices of her generation. Whether advocating for climate reform or now stepping into global human rights debates, she continues to push boundaries—on land, sea, and in the court of public opinion.