Paris, MINA– Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has denounced Israeli authorities for what she described as “kidnapping” after being detained and deported for attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea.l, Anadolu Agency reported.
Speaking at Charles de Gaulle Airport on Tuesday, Thunberg criticized the Israeli military for forcibly diverting the Madleen vessel, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, in international waters, approximately 200 kilometers off the coast of Gaza.
“They did an illegal act by kidnapping us on international waters and against our will bringing us to Israel, keeping us in the bottom of the boat, not letting us get out,” she told reporters.
Thunberg, 22, was among several international activists on board the ship, which carried aid supplies and aimed to protest what they described as an “ongoing genocide” and “orchestrated famine” in Gaza. “The real story is that there is a genocide going on in Gaza, and a systematic starvation following a siege and blockade,” she said.
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Photos released by Israeli officials showed Thunberg being deported by plane, a move critics say contradicted her well-known commitment to avoiding air travel for environmental reasons. She dismissed an image showing her receiving a sandwich from an Israeli soldier as a “PR stunt.”
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed her deportation to France, where she would continue to Sweden. Israeli officials maintained that the naval blockade of Gaza is legal and denied any wrongdoing.
French MEP Rima Hassan and several other activists remain in detention in Israel, with four expected to appear before a judge. Thunberg urged their immediate release and emphasized the need for greater humanitarian access to Gaza.
“This is about more than just one intercepted ship. It’s about the ongoing occupation and the daily systemic oppression and violence that the Palestinian people face,” she said.
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The Freedom Flotilla Coalition called the detention “unlawful, politically motivated, and a direct violation of international law,” demanding the safe release of all passengers and their right to continue delivering aid to Gaza. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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