A group of activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who were detained aboard a Gaza-bound aid boat, have been taken to a Tel Aviv airport for deportation, Israel announced on Tuesday. The activists were part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s effort to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza, defying Israel’s naval blockade.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that the passengers, hailing from Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey, would be deported to their home countries. “Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority,” the ministry said on X.
The activists, including Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament, and Omar Faiad, a French journalist with Al Jazeera, were intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters while attempting to deliver aid, including rice and baby formula.
The Israeli government has dismissed the activists’ efforts as a “media provocation” aimed at gaining publicity. “While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity – and which included less than a single truckload of aid – more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks, and in addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said. “There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip – they do not involve Instagram selfies.”
Thunberg has accused Israel of “kidnapping” her in international waters. “I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible,” she said in a video recorded ahead of the Israeli navy action. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has argued that the sea blockade is illegal, characterizing Israel’s actions as threatening the unlawful use of force against civilians.
The activists may be permitted to fly out of Tel Aviv as early as Tuesday night, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. Consular representatives from the passengers’ home countries have met them at the airport, and the Israeli authorities will prioritize deportation in accordance with Israeli law.