Israeli forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid ship carrying Greta Thunberg and 11 other activists in international waters

Israeli authorities have begun deportation proceedings against Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and a dozen other passengers who were intercepted aboard a Gaza-bound aid ship, drawing a wave of global condemnation and igniting fierce debate over the naval blockade around the besieged Palestinian territory.

The group set sail from Italy on 1 June aboard the Madleen, a vessel chartered by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), carrying what organisers described as a symbolic load of food and medical supplies. Their aim: to peacefully breach the maritime siege of Gaza and draw attention to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding under Israel’s ongoing blockade.

But on Monday, Israeli naval forces halted the Madleen roughly 185 kilometres off the Gaza coast in international waters and forcibly towed it to Ashdod port. Footage released by the FFC showed activists standing with their hands raised as Israeli troops stormed the vessel. No injuries were reported during the interception.

Greta Thunberg, one of the world’s most recognisable youth campaigners, remained calm during the operation. She and the other 11 activists have now been transferred to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, where they await deportation.

“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 said via social media platform X. “Those who refuse to sign deportation papers will be brought before a judicial authority.”

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition confirmed that all passengers were “being processed and transferred into the custody of Israeli authorities” and might be allowed to fly home later the same day.

Adalah, an Israeli legal NGO, stated that the group had requested legal representation and would likely be taken to a detention facility before removal. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts are unfolding behind the scenes. French President Emmanuel Macron has already called for the safe and swift return of the six French citizens on board.

Turkey has condemned the Israeli operation as a “heinous attack,” while Iran branded the interception “an act of piracy.” Activists and legal observers have raised alarms over the legality of the operation, which took place well outside Israeli territorial waters.

The Madleen marks the second aid vessel in recent weeks to face apparent sabotage or direct action. In May, another flotilla ship—the Conscience—sustained damage in international waters off Malta. Activists alleged that an Israeli drone strike may have been behind the incident.

Israel, however, has defended the blockade, citing security concerns. Defence Minister Israel Katz reiterated on Sunday that the naval siege remains essential to prevent arms smuggling by Hamas militants.

But critics argue that the policy is collectively punishing Gaza’s civilian population, who face unprecedented shortages of food, water, and medical aid. The United Nations has warned that the entire population of Gaza is at imminent risk of famine.

In a parallel protest, a nine-bus land convoy set off from Tunisia this week with the goal of breaking the land blockade on Gaza. Though organisers acknowledge they are not carrying actual aid, they describe the journey as a “symbolic act of solidarity.” The convoy hopes to enter Gaza via Egypt, but Cairo has yet to issue passage permits.

Back in Israel, the deportation of Greta Thunberg and her fellow activists is likely to deepen international scrutiny of the country’s handling of humanitarian access to Gaza. While Israel recently permitted some aid deliveries via the newly formed, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, several agencies and the UN have refused to work with it, accusing it of lacking neutrality.

As more lives are lost daily near aid distribution points, and tensions flare on land and sea, the message from activists like Thunberg remains defiant: silence in the face of suffering is not an option—even if it means arrest on the open seas.