Climate activist Greta Thunberg is one of a number of people who have been deported from Israel.
The 22-year-old was one of 12 people on board the British-flagged yacht Madleen – operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) – which aimed to break Israel’s sea blockade and deliver aid to people in Gaza.
Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed on Monday it had seized the vessel and brought it to shore.
A day later, a photo of Thunberg on a plane was shared by the ministry. She also confirmed she was flying to Sweden via France.
Two other activists and a journalist agreed to be deported and leave Israel, Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel representing the Madleen passengers, said.
Others who refused deportation were being held in detention, Adalah added, and their case was set to be heard by Israeli authorities.
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Who was on board the yacht?
A politician, journalist and doctor were among those who joined Thunberg on the Madleen.
The 12 passengers – or volunteers as the FCC referred to them as – came from across the globe. Half of them were French, while others were Brazilian, German, Spanish, Turkish and Dutch.
It was previously believed that Irish actor Liam Cunningham was going to be one of those on the Madleen, but the Game of Thrones actor was not listed as a passenger.
The full list of passengers includes:
• Greta Thunberg – Sweden
• Rima Hassan – France
• Yasemin Acar – Germany
• Baptiste Andre – France
• Thiago Avila – Brazil
• Omar Faiad – France
• Pascal Maurieras – France
• Yanis Mhamdi – France
• Suayb Ordu – Turkey
• Sergio Toribio – Spain
• Mark van Rennes – Netherlands
• Reva Viard – France
Who has been deported?
Ms Hassan is a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent. She has previously been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians.
It was not clear whether she was being immediately deported from Israel or detained.
French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that one of the detained French activists signed an expulsion order and will leave Israel on Tuesday. The other five refused.
He said all the activists had received consular visits.
French President Emmanuel Macron also called for consular protection and the repatriation of the French citizens.
Sergio Toribio, a Spanish activist who was deported, slammed Israel’s actions after he arrived in Barcelona.
“It is unforgivable, it is a violation of our rights. It is a pirate attack in international waters,” he told reporters.
Mr Faiad is a correspondent for Al Jazeera Mubasher, the first 24-hour Middle Eastern news channel. It is unknown if he is the journalist that has agreed to leave Israel.
The move to seize the boat was criticised by human rights organisation Amnesty International. The group said Israel was flouting international law and called on Israel to release the activists immediately and unconditionally.
Israel has said its actions were consistent with international law.
Is the UK responsible for the yacht?
The FFC previously said the UK government had a “legal duty” to protect the yacht and its crew and passengers as it was sailing under the British flag.
In a post on X on 6 June, the coalition wrote: “Under international law, the UK must: Prevent genocide, reject Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza, defend its flagged ship from unlawful attacks.”
After the boat was diverted by Israeli forces, Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on Palestine, also urged the UK government to intervene.
Any vessel registered in the UK is defined as a British ship and is allowed to fly the Red Ensign flag – a red flag with the Union Jack in the top left-hand corner.
The UK government typically provides support to vessels flying the Red Ensign.
On Monday, Downing Street said it wants to see Israel resolve the situation around the detention of the Madleen “safely with restraint, in line with international humanitarian law”.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson told reporters: “We have made clear our position in relation to the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The prime minister has called it appalling and intolerable.”
They added: “We have made it very clear we must get more aid into Gaza… the unimpeded entry of assistance at scale to meet the enormous needs in Gaza is critical.”
What happened to the last Freedom Flotilla?
Last month, an attempt by the Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after another of the group’s vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta.
The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship.
Read more:
‘The only people I’ve ever seen in Gaza with weapons are the IDF’
Gaza marks start of Eid with outdoor prayers in rubble
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On Sunday, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz ordered the military to prevent the latest mission from reaching Gaza, calling the mission a propaganda effort in support of Hamas.
Israel imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.
The blockade has remained in place through multiple conflicts, including the current war, which began after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023.
