Israeli troops board aid ship bound for Gaza, activists say

Israel says it has deported Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, a day after the Gaza-bound aid boat she and 11 other people were on was intercepted by Israeli forces in the Mediterranean.

Thunberg departed Tel Aviv on Tuesday morning on a flight to France after she agreed to be deported, the Israeli foreign ministry said.

Upon arriving at an airport in Paris, Thunberg accused Israel of illegally kidnapping her and other activists on the boat while they were in international waters.

France said five of the six French citizens detained alongside her had refused to sign their deportation orders and would now be subject to judicial proceedings.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the activist group operating the yacht The Madleen, has demanded the immediate release of everyone detained.

The vessel was intercepted early on Monday while the activists tried to deliver a "symbolic" amount of aid to Gaza in defiance of Israels maritime blockade and highlight the humanitarian crisis there.

The Israeli foreign ministry dismissed it as a "selfie yacht", and announced in a post on X on Monday night that the passengers had been transferred to Tel Avivs Ben Gurion airport following the vessels arrival at the port of Ashdod on Monday night.

"Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorize their deportation," it said.

On Tuesday morning, the ministry said Thunberg had "just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France)", and posted a photo of her sitting on a plane.

Speaking to reporters at Charles de Gaulle airport, Thunberg said Israel had committed "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 getting out and so on".

She added: "But that is not the real story here, the real story is that there is a genocide going on in Gaza, and a systematic starvation following the siege and blockade now, which is leading to food, medicine, water - that are desperately needed to get into Gaza - is prevented from doing so."

The Israeli foreign ministry has insisted the blockade was "consistent with international law", and that unauthorised attempts to breach it were "dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts".

Asked why she was free while others were still detained, Thunberg said it was "a bit unclear". She said she and some others had signed a document saying they wanted to go back as soon as they could, but did not accept they had entered the country illegally, but others hadnt signed this document.

She added she had been unable to say goodbye to fellow activists before her deportation, and was unsure what was happening to them. "Im very worried about them," she said.

Frances Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, earlier wrote on X: "Our consul was able to see the six French nationals arrested by the Israeli authorities last night."

"One of them has agreed to leave voluntarily and should return today. The other five will be subject to forced deportation proceedings."

Barrot did not identify them, but the six French nationals include MEP Rima Hassan and two journalists, Omar Faiad of Qatar-based Al Jazeera and Yanis Mhamdi of online publication Blast, who Reporters Without Borders said were documenting the Madleens journey.

As well as France and Sweden, citizens of Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Turkey were on board the vessel.

The FFC confirmed in a statement on Monday night that all 12 had reached Ashdod and that it expected any who refused to be deported to be transferred to a detention facility in Ramle, near Tel Aviv.

"We continue to demand the immediate release of all volunteers and the return of the stolen aid. Their kidnapping is unlawful and a violation of international law," it added.

Israels foreign ministry said the aid, which includes baby formula and medicine, would be transferred to Gaza "through real humanitarian channels".

The FFC said the Madleen was intercepted by the Israeli military inside international waters about 185km (115 miles) west of Gaza early on Monday.

According to the group, the vessel was surrounded by quadcopter drones, sprayed with a "white irritant substance", and had its communications jammed.

Video footage released by the group showed the passengers sitting down with their hands raised as Israeli forces boarded.

It also posted a pre-recorded clip showing Thunberg saying: "If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by Israeli occupational forces or forces that support Israel."

"I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible."

The foreign ministry later said all the passengers were "safe and unharmed", and posted a video showing troops handing them food and water.

When the Madleen set sail from Italy on 1 June, the FFC said it was "carrying humanitarian aid and international human rights defenders in direct defiance of Israels illegal and genocidal blockade". The Israeli foreign ministry called it a "gimmick", while Israel has rejected accusations of genocide.

On Sunday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the maritime blockade was necessary to prevent the smuggling of weapons to Hamas.

Israel and Egypt imposed a land, sea and air blockade on Gaza when Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007 by ousting its rivals, a year after winning legislative elections.

Israel stopped all deliveries of humanitarian aid and commercial supplies to Gaza on 2 March this year and resumed its military offensive two weeks later, collapsing a two-month ceasefire with Hamas.

It said the steps were meant to put pressure on the group to release the hostages still held in Gaza, but the UN warned that Gazas 2.1 million population were facing catastrophic levels of hunger because of the resulting shortages of food.

Three weeks ago, Israel launched an expanded offensive to take control of all areas of Gaza. It also partially eased the blockade, allowing in a "basic" amount of food.

Israel is now prioritising distribution through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which it backs along with the US. The UN and other aid groups are refusing to co-operate with the new system, saying it contravenes the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence.

It is 20 months since Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the unprecedented Hamas-led cross-border attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 54,927 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territorys Hamas-run health ministry.