Activist Greta Thunberg has been deported from Israel, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, after the Israeli military seized the ship she was on, which was sailing to Gaza.
In a social media post, the Foreign Ministry shared a photo of Thunberg on a plane, saying she was heading to Sweden (via France).
Israeli media reported that she was returning home unaccompanied, as Sweden refused to provide consular assistance.
Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on the Madleen, a ship carrying aid intended for people in war-torn Gaza.
The activists said they were demonstrating against the ongoing war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel says such ships violate its naval blockade of Gaza.
The Madleen set sail from Italy on June 1 to draw attention to the food shortages in Gaza, which the United Nations has called “the hungriest place on Earth.” After 21 months of war, the UN has warned that the entire population of the territory is at risk of starvation.
Israel intercepted the ship on Monday morning. The Israeli government had earlier vowed not to allow the ship to breach the naval blockade of Gaza and had urged it to turn back.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, said on Sunday that the blockade – which has been in place for years before the war began – was necessary to prevent Palestinian militants from importing weapons.
After the ship was diverted, the Israeli Foreign Ministry released a photo of activists in orange life jackets being handed out water and sandwiches.
