Israel Issues New Statement After Greta Thunberg’s Detention During Gaza Flotilla Mission
Israel has issued a formal update regarding the recent detention and deportation of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, following her attempt to reach Gaza aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla.
Thunberg, along with more than 170 activists, was taken into custody after Israeli forces intercepted the aid flotilla in international waters. On Monday, October 6, officials confirmed that all those detained — including Thunberg — had now been deported from Israel.
Photographs released by authorities show the 22-year-old activist and others dressed in gray tracksuits and white T-shirts, being escorted under supervision before boarding flights out of the country.
Thunberg Deported to Greece
According to multiple media outlets, Thunberg was flown to Athens, Greece, where she landed alongside several other participants from the flotilla.
An Israeli government spokesperson described the operation as “lawful and fully transparent,” insisting that all activists’ rights were respected throughout the process.
“All the legal rights of the participants in this PR stunt were and will continue to be fully upheld,” the statement read, accusing organizers of orchestrating a “pre-planned fake news campaign.”
Conflicting Accounts of Conditions in Custody
Earlier reports painted a much darker picture. Several media sources, including The Guardian, cited emails from the Swedish foreign ministry suggesting Thunberg had been held in poor conditions — allegedly in a cell infested with bedbugs, with limited food and water.
The correspondence claimed that a visiting official observed Thunberg sitting for extended periods on hard surfaces and developing skin rashes believed to be caused by insect bites. She was also said to be suffering from mild dehydration and insufficient nutrition.
Israeli officials have strongly denied these allegations, calling them “completely false.”
“All detainees from the Hamas-Sumud provocation were provided with water, food, and access to restrooms,” the Israeli embassy stated. “They were not denied legal counsel, and all medical and legal rights were fully respected.”
The Mission That Sparked Global Headlines
The Global Sumud Flotilla — made up of over 40 boats carrying more than 430 activists, lawyers, and parliamentarians — was organized to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza amid ongoing shortages of food, water, and medicine linked to the Israeli blockade.
Thunberg, who has repeatedly voiced support for Palestinian civilians, was reportedly trying to accompany the mission to deliver medical supplies and relief goods. The flotilla, however, never reached its destination; Israeli naval forces intercepted the vessels and detained participants at Ketziot Prison in the Negev Desert before deporting them.
Divided Reactions
Supporters of Thunberg have condemned her treatment, describing her detention as politically motivated and “propaganda-like.”
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have stood firm, asserting that the activists’ actions violated security protocols and that their detention was both necessary and lawful.
As Thunberg returns to Europe, the controversy surrounding her brief imprisonment continues to spark international debate — not only over Israel’s blockade of Gaza but also over how far activists are willing to go in pursuit of humanitarian causes.