Greta Thunberg deported from Israel

Israel deported activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday, the country’s Foreign Ministry said, a day after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by the Israeli military. .She landed at an airport in France where she spoke to media about her experience and gave her recollection of what happened.

JERUSALEM - Israel deported Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday, a day after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by Israeli military.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Thunberg was on a flight headed back to her home country of Sweden via France.

"Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France)," the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X.

Greta Thunberg deported from Israel after Gaza-bound yacht seized

Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on the Madleen. Israeli naval forces seized the boat without incident early Monday about 125 miles off Gaza.

Thunberg and three other activists were transported to Ben Gurion Airport to be deported, while eight others — including a member of the European Parliament — refused to sign deportation paperwork, according to the Times of Israel.

What they're saying:

Speaking upon arrival in Paris en route to her home country, Thunberg called for the release of the other activists who were detained aboard the Freedom Flotilla. She described a "quite chaotic and uncertain" situation during the detention.

Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg talks to journalists upon her arrival to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport, as she left Israel on a flight to Sweden via France, after she was detained along with other activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid boat, on June

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The conditions they faced "are absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine and especially Gaza right now," she said.

Why was Greta Thunberg in Israel?

The backstory:

The trip was meant to protest Israeli restrictions on aid to Gaza's population of over 2 million people after 20 months of war, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group behind the journey.

Thunberg posts video saying she had been ‘kidnapped’ by Israel

Dig deeper:

Thunberg posted a video amid the chaos saying that she had been "kidnapped" by Israel, a comment which drew heavy scrutiny, as some pointed out the plight of the hostages who have been held in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.

What they're saying:

When asked about Thunberg’s claim that she had been "kidnapped," President Donald Trump said, "I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg." The president called the climate activist a "strange person" and told reporters that she needed "anger management" courses.

IDF detains Gaza-bound ship carrying Greta Thunberg

The FDD's Joe Truzman joins LiveNOW's Andy Mac to give more insight on the IDF detaining a Gaza-bound ship carrying activist Greta Thunberg.

"I think the world need a lot more young angry women," Thunberg said Tuesday in response.

"We were well aware of the risks of this mission," Thunberg added. "The aim was to get to Gaza and to be able to distribute the aid." She said the activists would continue trying to get aid to Gaza.

Big picture view:

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, along with rights groups, said Israel's actions in international waters were a violation of international law. Israel rejects that charge, saying such ships intend to breach what it argues is a lawful naval blockade of Gaza.

Israel viewed the ship as a publicity stunt, calling it the "selfie yacht" with a "meager" amount of aid that amounted to less than a truckload.

War in Gaza continues

The backstory:

Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack that ignited the war and took 251 hostages, most released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas still holds 55 hostages, more than half believed to be dead.

Palestinians in Gaza are now almost completely dependent on international aid.

Israel said on Monday that more than 1,200 aid trucks had entered Gaza over the past two weeks, and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a controversial Israeli and U.S.-backed organization, had delivered almost 11 million meals to the civilians in Gaza.

Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza’s Palestinian population.

During the 20-month-long war in Gaza, Israel has restricted and sometimes blocked all aid into the territory, including food, fuel and medicine. Experts say that policy has pushed Gaza toward famine. Israel asserts that Hamas siphons off the aid to bolster its rule.

The Source: The Associated Press, FOX News contributed to this story. This story was reported from Los Angeles.

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