As of yesterday (June 10), Israel has deported four crew members from the Madleen, the humanitarian aid vessel sent to Gaza by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC). After being “forcibly” intercepted in the early hours of June 9, with its crew “abducted” by Israeli naval forces, Greta Thunberg, Baptise Andre, Sergio Toribio, and Omar Faiad have been deported to their home countries. 

Thunberg, who arrived in France before heading to Sweden, spoke to the press, reasserting that the Madleen crew were detained. “We were illegally attacked and kidnapped and taken against our will to Israel where we were detained,” she explained. “Some of us were deported, some of us are still there. There are very big uncertainties because it was quite chaotic, so I don’t really know what has been going on. I have not had a phone for many days.”

The press asked the 22-year-old activist what the conditions of her detention were like, to which she responded: “They were absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine, especially Gaza right now. This is yet another violation of international law rights, adding to the list of countless others that Israel is committing, especially towards Palestinians, by blocking and preventing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza.”

As they continued to press her about Israel’s treatment of the Madleen crew, she reminded the press that they are not the story: “The real story is that there is a genocide going on in Gaza and a systematic starvation following the siege and blockade, which is leading to food, medicine, water, that is desperately needed to get into Gaza, that is prevented from doing so.” She continued: “But of course, there are many attempts, like this mission, both by sea and land, to break that siege and open up a humanitarian corridor.” 

Thunberg also clapped back at President Donald Trump, who, on Tuesday (June 10), described her as a “strange” and “angry” person following her deportation. “I think the world needs many more young angry women, to be honest,” she tells the press. “Especially with everything going on right now. That’s the thing we need the most of.”

André, who was deported to France, told reporters that even though there were no acts of physical violence, he witnessed Israeli border agents mock and “deliberately deprive passengers of sleep”, in particular, Thunberg. As soon as they fell asleep, the border agents would turn up the music and dance, asserts André. Even though the Israel Foreign Ministry posted, as Thunberg described it, “propaganda”, a video of Israeli forces giving the Madleen crew food, André says that the detainees had difficulty accessing food and water. 

The other eight members of the Madleen, Suayb Ordu, Marck van Rennes, Pascal Maurieras, Reva Viard, Rima Hassan, Thiago Avila, Yanis Mhamdi and Yasemin Acar remain in Israeli detention as they refused to sign deportation documents. In a statement released by the FFC, they explain, “Each of the volunteers was given two options: sign documents consenting to deportation, or remain in detention and appear before a tribunal.”

They continue: “The FFC had encouraged some volunteers, if given the option, to agree to expedited deportation in order to restore access to communication, including the ability to speak freely and advocate for their fellow participants. All of them explicitly disputed the claim of unlawful entry in writing, affirming that Israeli law does not apply to them, that their mission was humanitarian in nature, and that both the boat’s interception and their detention are illegal.”

Adalah, the legal centre for Arab minority rights in Israel, who is representing the activists, argue that Israel has no lawful authority to detain or deport the activists as they were on international waters and were transferred to Israel against their will. The Israeli immigration tribunal is still deciding whether the eight activists should remain in detention pending their deportation. However, the FFC argues that “The activists must be released immediately, allowed to re-board their ship, deliver aid to Gaza and return to their countries of origin.”