Israel on Monday deported Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and 170 other flotilla activists to Greece and Slovakia. The Israeli forces had stopped them delivering aid to Gaza last week.
The Israeli foreign ministry posted on X, “171 additional provocateurs from the Hamas–Sumud flotilla, including Greta Thunberg, were deported today from Israel to Greece and Slovakia. The deportees are citizens of Greece, Italy, France, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway, the UK, Serbia, and the United States. All the legal rights of the participants in this PR stunt were and will continue to be fully upheld. The lies they are spreading are part of their pre-planned fake news campaign. The only violent incident came from a Hamas–Sumud provocateur who bit a female medical staff member of Ketsiyot Prison. Don’t believe the fake news they are spreading. Attached are photos of Greta and other participants in this PR stunt at the airport before being deported.”
171 additional provocateurs from the Hamas–Sumud flotilla, including Greta Thunberg, were deported today from Israel to Greece and Slovakia.
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 6, 2025
The deportees are citizens of Greece, Italy, France, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland,… pic.twitter.com/DqcGLOJov7
Earlier, Israel’s Foreign Ministry flatly rejected claims that the activists detained from the Gaza-bound flotilla were being mistreated in prison, calling the reports “brazen lies” and insisting that “all the detainees’ legal rights are fully upheld.”
The ministry said Thunberg “did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations–because they never occurred.” It added that she and other detainees had refused to accept fast-track deportation offers, choosing instead to “prolong their stay in custody.”
Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla on Friday as its more than 40 boats attempted to breach the naval blockade on Gaza. Around 450 people were detained, including Thunberg, four French lawmakers, and other international activists. Israel said the boats carried no aid and accused participants of seeking confrontation rather than delivering humanitarian relief. “Their true goal was provocation in the service of Hamas,” the ministry said.
Documents found in Gaza and recently released by Israel’s Foreign Ministry traced direct Hamas involvement in organizing and financing a “close-knit” flotilla seeking to break the Israeli blockade of the Strip.
