Greta Thunberg accuses Israel of “kidnapping” after interception of Gaza-bound aid boat
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Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg accused Israel of forcibly detaining her and fellow activists in international waters after their aid vessel, bound for Gaza, was intercepted by the Israeli navy.
Speaking at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport upon her deportation, Thunberg stated, “Israel kidnapped us in international waters and took us against our will to Israel,” calling it “yet another intentional violation of rights.” She had been part of a group sailing on the Madleen, a vessel attempting to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge the blockade on Gaza.
The group, composed of activists from countries including France, Germany, Brazil, Turkey, Sweden, Spain, and the Netherlands, was intercepted roughly 185 kilometers off Gaza’s coast. Five French nationals were taken into custody after refusing to leave Israel voluntarily. Thunberg, who avoids air travel for environmental reasons, was deported via an El Al commercial flight.
Thunberg emphasised that her brief detainment paled in comparison to the suffering endured by Palestinians. “This is not the real story. The real story is there is a genocide going on in Gaza and systematic starvation,” she said, denouncing Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian access as violations of international law and war crimes.
She condemned the broader global response to the Gaza crisis, stating, “There are no words to describe the betrayal that is happening every day by our own governments,” and criticised their “silence and passivity.”
Despite the incident, Thunberg remained resolute: “We will not stop. We will try every single day to demand an end to the atrocities Israel is carrying out.”
Since October 2023, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza has reported at least 54,981 deaths, mostly civilians — figures the United Nations deems credible.
Of the 251 people taken hostage during the Hamas attack, 54 remain in captivity, including 32 confirmed dead by the Israeli military.
Amnesty International and other rights groups have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza — an accusation Israel firmly denies.
