Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on 10 June accused Israel of abducting her and other humanitarian volunteers in international waters after the Israeli navy intercepted their vessel en route to the Gaza Strip.
Speaking at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris following her deportation, Thunberg claimed, “Israel kidnapped us in international waters and took us against our will to Israel.”
The 22-year-old was aboard the Madleen, a humanitarian vessel carrying food and aid supplies, alongside 11 other activists.
The group included nationals from France, Germany, Brazil, Turkey, Sweden, Spain, and the Netherlands.
According to Thunberg, the ship was intercepted approximately 185 kilometres off the coast of Gaza, in waters that are internationally recognised.
The vessel’s mission, organised by pro-Palestinian groups, aimed to challenge Israel’s blockade on Gaza and deliver aid directly to the Palestinian population.
“This was a mission of attempting to once again bring aid to Gaza and send solidarity. And saw we cannot,” she told reporters.
Reporter: “Why do you think so many countries and governments around the world are just ignoring what’s happening in Gaza?”
Greta Thunberg: “Because of racism.” pic.twitter.com/JVNA0nvota
— Furkan Gözükara (@GozukaraFurkan) June 10, 2025
Israeli authorities detained five French activists who reportedly refused to leave the country voluntarily.
Thunberg, known for avoiding air travel due to environmental concerns, was deported on an El Al commercial flight to Paris.
She stated that her experience paled in comparison to the suffering endured by Palestinians. “This is yet another intentional violation of rights that is added to the list of countless other violations that Israel is committing,” Thunberg said.
Thunberg denounced what she called the “silence and passivity” of world governments over the war in Gaza, adding, “There are no words to describe the betrayal that is happening every day by our own governments.”
Despite her ordeal, she vowed to continue campaigning. “We will not stop. We will try every single day to demand an end to the atrocities Israel is carrying out,” she said.
The Israeli military has maintained a naval blockade on Gaza since 2007, citing security threats from Hamas and other armed groups. Attempts to breach the blockade have frequently been met with maritime interceptions and arrests.
Rights groups such as Amnesty International have previously criticised Israel’s blockade as unlawful and accused the country of war crimes. Israel firmly rejects these accusations and defends its policies as necessary security measures.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war on 7 October 2023, over 54,981 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, a figure regarded as reliable by the United Nations.
The same attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people in Israel, mainly civilians, some of whom may have been killed in Israeli friendly fire incidents, according to reports citing the implementation of the Hannibal directive.
The Israeli army resumed military operations in Gaza on 18 March following the collapse of a ceasefire agreement, leading to an additional 4,701 Palestinian deaths and 14,879 injuries.
Currently, 54 hostages taken by Hamas remain in Gaza, with 32 confirmed dead by Israeli authorities.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Israel is also defending itself against a genocide accusation brought before the International Court of Justice.
As the conflict continues, international pressure on both Israel and global powers is mounting, with activists like Thunberg increasingly joining calls for greater accountability and an end to the violence.
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