Greta Thunberg Deported After Aid Ship Bound for Gaza Is Intercepted by Israel

Greta Thunberg has been deported from Israel after the humanitarian aid ship she was aboard was intercepted by the Israeli military and towed to the port city of Ashdod.

The Swedish climate activist was among a 12-person crew on board the Madleen, a vessel organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which was carrying aid including rice, flour, and baby formula to Gaza.

Thunberg had joined the mission to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying: “Every single one of us has a moral obligation to do everything we can to fight for a free Palestine.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Tuesday that Thunberg had boarded a flight to Sweden, via France. The remaining crew members are also being deported, the ministry said, with some refusing to sign documents and expected to face a judicial process before being sent to their home countries.

The Madleen was intercepted in international waters shortly after 3 a.m. local time on Monday, June 9, according to FFC, a group that describes itself as a “grassroots solidarity movement” working to end Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

The organization said the seizure of the vessel violates international law and defies the International Court of Justice’s binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.

Footage released by the FFC appeared to show Israeli personnel intercepting the boat. In the video, the crew have their hands raised, and a person is heard saying “everyone, phones need to go, in the water.”

Israel has dismissed the vessel as a “selfie yacht” and said the “tiny amount” of aid aboard would be distributed in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had acted in accordance with international law to enforce the naval blockade on Gaza.

“The vessel Madleen attempted to breach the naval blockade lawfully imposed for security reasons,” the IDF said in a statement to TIME, adding that the flotilla had “repeatedly refused” offers to offload the aid for distribution through official channels.

In a post on X, the government confirmed the ship's crew would be returned safely to their home countries and reiterated that 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza over the last weeks. It also pointed to the U.S. and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which it said had distributed 11 million meals in the territory since it began operations on May 26.

The GHF has faced sharp criticism from the United Nations and other aid organizations, which have accused it of “weaponizing aid”. Concerns over its operations have intensified following multiple fatal shootings of Palestinians near distribution hubs.

Read more: How Closures at Food Distribution Hubs Are Impacting Gazans

Here’s what we know about the ship and the status of its crew.

Why was the Madleen heading to Gaza?

The ship, named after Gaza’s first and only fisherwoman according to FFC, was launched from Sicily, Italy on June 1. 

The ship was carrying aid to Gaza, estimated to not be much more than a truck's-worth, but FFC said that the mission was to raise awareness of the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

This campaign comes a month after another FFC ship, named “Conscience” was struck by drones and set on fire as a result of the attack while sailing in international waters.

Before the Israel-Hamas war, Israel still maintained control over what goods entered Gaza, as well as water and electricity supplies in the strip. This began after Hamas gained control over the strip in 2007.

Who was onboard the Madleen?

The 12-person crew included:

• Greta Thunberg, Swedish climate activist.
• Rima Hassan, a French Member of the European Parliament.
• Thiago Avila, who leads FFC Brazil and is on the organization's Steering Committee.
• Baptiste André, Omar Faiad, Pascal Maurieras, Yanis Mhamdi, and Reva Viard, all French nationals. Mhamdi is a journalist for Blast; Faiad is a journalist with Al Jazeera.
• Yasemin Acar, an activist from Germany.
• Şuayb Ordu, an activist from Turkey.
• Sergio Toribio, an activist from Spain.
• Marco Van Rennes, an activist from the Netherlands. 

What has Israel said about the ship and its interception?

In a statement posted Monday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed that it had intercepted the “selfie yacht” and that the “celebrities” on board would be returned to their home countries.

The Ministry also published a video of the crew being handed water and sandwiches, saying they were safe and unharmed. 

Defense Minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the IDF to show the crew a video of events on October 7 2023, when Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage.

What international reaction has there been?

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has said that France has offered to assist in facilitating the “swift return” of the French nationals onboard the ship.

In a press briefing Monday, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that the U.K. government urged the situation to be resolved “safely with restraint, in line with international humanitarian law”.

Special Rapporteur to the United Nations, Francesca Albanese said: “As the Madleen was reportedly intercepted and seized by Israeli forces in international waters, the UK government must urgently seek full clarification and secure the immediate release of the vessel & its crew.”