Israel deports Thunberg, 170 other activists to Greece, Slovakia

The ministry said other deportees included citizens of Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway, the UK, Serbia, and the U.S.

Aduwo Ayodele • October 6, 2025

Activist Thunberg at Israel’s airport; Credit: Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Monday, announced an additional deportation of 171 volunteers of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) humanitarian initiative to Greece and Slovakia.

The ministry, in a Facebook post, stated that its latest deportees include Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and other participants of GSF, who are citizens of Greece, Italy, France, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, and Lithuania.

According to the ministry, other deportees included citizens of Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Serbia, and the United States.

“All the legal rights of the participants in this PR stunt were and will continue to be fully upheld. The lies they are spreading are part of their pre-planned fake news campaign,” Israel’s foreign ministry stated.

“The only violent incident came from a Hamas–Sumud provocateur who bit a female medical staff member of Ketsiyot Prison. Don’t believe the fake news they are spreading,” the ministry added.

Earlier in October, nearly 500 activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Irish Senator Chris Andrews, were detained by Israeli naval forces, following an interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a voyage aimed at conveying medicine and food to the Gaza Strip.

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