Israel on Monday said Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and 170 other activists from the Gaza aid flotilla were deported to Greece and Slovakia. The Swedish climate activist was detained earlier, along with other activists, while trying to deliver aid to Gaza and challenge the naval blockade by Israel.
Earlier, there were reports that Greta, along with other activists, was allegedly tortured. (@IsraelMFA/X)
The foreign ministry called them “participants of PR stunt” and also posted their image from the airport.
Taking to X, the Israeli Foreign Ministry informed that the activists were deported from Israel to Greece and Slovakia on Monday. They said that the deportees are from different countries, including Greece, Italy, France, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway, the UK, Serbia, and the United States.
Also read: ‘Dragged by hair, wrapped in Israeli flag’: Activists claim Greta Thunberg mistreated in detention
“All the legal rights of the participants in this PR stunt were and will continue to be fully upheld,” the post read further. It also said that lies are being spread as part of a “pre-planned fake news campaign” by the activists.
“The only violent incident came from a Hamas–Sumud provocateur who bit a female medical staff member of Ketsiyot Prison,” they said further.
Earlier, there were reports that Greta, along with other activists, was allegedly tortured. Activists claimed that Greta was dragged by her hair and forced to wear the Israeli flag by the authorities. Activist Hazwani Helmi and Windfield Beaver said that Greta was shoved and forced to play a terrorist. “It was a disaster. They treated us like animals,” they added.
Also read: Watch: Greta Thunberg on deck as Israeli military boards Gaza-bound aid boats
The post also asked everyone not to believe the “fake news” that is being spread by the activists. It also attached photos of Greta and other activists, calling them “participants of a PR stunt” at the airport before being deported.
The boats Sirius, Alma and Adara were intercepted, and activists part of the Gaza aid flotilla were transferred to an Israeli port, authorities said earlier.