Tel Aviv: Israel announced on Tuesday that Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has been deported following her detention aboard an aid ship headed to the blockaded Gaza Strip. The vessel, named Madleen, was intercepted by Israeli forces on Monday before it could arrive at the Gaza shore and was subsequently directed to Ashdod Port.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Madleen carried 12 foreign activists, among them Swedish climate advocate Greta Thunberg. The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed Thunberg's departure, stating on its official X account that she had boarded a flight to Sweden via France. The activists' mission was to deliver aid and challenge the blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza, which has resulted in severe humanitarian consequences for the enclave's 2.4 million residents.
The Israeli human rights organization Adalah reported that some of the activists consented to deportation to their home countries. Israel's public broadcaster KAN revealed that four activists are scheduled for deportation on Tuesday, while the remaining eight will be detained due to their refusal to sign deportation documents.
The British-flagged Madleen carried aid intended to alleviate the dire situation in Gaza, where nearly 55,000 people have perished since the beginning of October 2023. With Israel maintaining a closure of all Gaza border crossings to humanitarian aid since early March, aid organizations have issued warnings of potential famine in the area.
Adding to the international legal pressure on Israel, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice related to its actions against civilians in the region.