Climate activist Greta Thunberg and 11 others aboard a humanitarian mission to Gaza are set to be deported after Israeli naval forces intercepted their yacht, ‘Madleen’, and seized it near the port of Ashdod.
The group, organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was attempting to deliver aid, including rice and baby formula, to Gaza. The yacht was intercepted roughly 185 km off Gaza’s coast. All 12 passengers were detained and taken to Ben Gurion Airport for deportation proceedings, Israeli authorities confirmed.
“The passengers of the ‘Selfie Yacht’ arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted on social platform X, adding, “Those who refuse to sign deportation documents will be brought before a judicial authority.”
International Condemnation and Rising Diplomatic Pressure
Among those aboard were citizens of France, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Turkey, Spain, and the Netherlands, including Rima Hassan, a Member of the European Parliament from France, and Omar Faiad, a French journalist with Al Jazeera.
Footage released by the group showed Israeli forces boarding the vessel as activists stood with their hands raised. No injuries were reported during the operation.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the detentions, urging Israel to release the six French nationals immediately. “France stands by all its nationals when they are in danger,” his office stated, calling the humanitarian blockade on Gaza a “scandal” and a “disgrace.”
Israeli Response
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the activists were shown footage of the October 7 Hamas massacre, but refused to continue watching it. He accused the group of “ignoring Hamas’s atrocities” and “closing their eyes to the truth.”
Israel maintains that the flotilla violated its blockade on Gaza, which has been in place since 2007 and remains a highly contentious issue globally.
The FFC, however, described the seizure as an “unlawful” act, asserting that the mission was purely humanitarian and aimed at providing relief to civilians in Gaza facing urgent shortages of basic supplies.
What’s Next?
The deportation process is underway, though some passengers have reportedly refused to sign formal documents. If they continue to resist, they could be brought before Israeli judicial authorities before being expelled.
With diplomatic pressure mounting and global attention on the incident, the aftermath of this interception could intensify scrutiny of Israel’s handling of aid routes to Gaza, especially with high-profile activists like Thunberg involved.
