Israel has deported Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and 170 other pro-Palestinian activists who were detained when Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla trying to breach its naval blockade of Gaza to deliver aid last week.
Thunberg raised her fist as she was presented with flowers and cheered by dozens of supporters who had gathered at Athens airport.
The Israeli foreign minister stated that the activists were flown to Greece and Slovakia, with citizens from Greece, Slovakia, France, Italy, Britain, and the United States among them.
Israel's authorities have repeatedly dismissed accusations of mistreatment, labeling them as fake news.
As of now, the ministry has confirmed the deportation of 341 individuals from the 479 aboard the flotilla, known as the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), while 138 activists still remain imprisoned in Israel, with more than 40 reportedly on hunger strike.
The GSF concertedly aimed to break the illegal siege on Gaza by sea, open a humanitarian corridor, and end the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. However, Israeli officials characterized the flotilla as a publicity stunt, emphasizing that it only carried about two tons of aid.
The situation escalates amid a humanitarian crisis, as Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry has reported that over 460 Palestinians have died from malnutrition-related causes since the current conflict began, with the UN calling for urgent action to lift the blockade.
Thunberg described the flotilla as the biggest ever attempt to break Israel's illegal and inhumane siege by sea, highlighting a profound solidarity spearheaded by ordinary citizens when their governments failed to act. Reports of abuse and inhumane detention practices have emerged from those released, with many alleging mistreatment during captivity.
The external pressures on Israel continue to grow as international organizations and domestic voices call for a reconsideration of its actions in Gaza.
