by WorldTribune Staff, June 11, 2025 Real World News
Greta Thunberg's cruise on the "selfie yacht" to Gaza was interrupted before reaching its final destination.
The former climate child turned anti-Israel activist was deported by Israel back to Sweden after the Madleen ship she was a passenger on was boarded and towed to the port of Ashdod by the Israeli Navy on Monday.
Thunberg was reportedly deported after she refused to watch footage of Hamas atrocities carried out on October 7, 2023 in Israel.
"I do more good outside of Israel than if I am forced to stay here for a few weeks," Thunberg said, according to Moatasem Zedan, a spokesperson for the group Adalah which provides legal representation to the activists.
Israel's Foreign Ministry shared a photo of the disgruntled 22-year-old sitting on board the plane moments before the flight departed Israel's Ben Gurion airport.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said he'd instructed IDF officials to show the activists the full, unedited footage of the October 7 attacks as recorded by Hamas terrorist body cameras.
"It is appropriate that the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas supporters see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organization they came to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself."
Katz added: "Greta and her flotilla companions were taken into a room upon their arrival to the screening of the horror film of the October 7 massacre... when they saw what it was about, they refused to continue watching. The anti-Semitic flotilla members are turning a blind eye to the truth and have proven once again that they prefer the murderers to the murdered and continue to ignore the atrocities committed by Hamas against Jewish and Israeli women, adults, and children."
The flotilla Thunberg was a part of claimed they were delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said: "This wasn't humanitarian aid. It's Instagram activism. Who's really feeding Gaza and who's really feeding their own ego? Greta was not bringing aid, she was bringing herself."
Israel's Foreign Ministry portrayed the voyage as nothing more than a publicity stunt, referring to the Madleen as "the selfie yacht."
The voyage of the Madleen, which launched from the Italian island of Sicily, was planned by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC).
The FFC claimed the activists were "kidnapped by Israeli forces" while trying to deliver desperately needed aid on Monday.
Footage released on Instagram by the FFC appeared to show the crew of the Madleen tossing their phones and laptops into the water prior to being boarded.
A pre-recorded message of Thunberg was shared on social media by the FFC:
"If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel," she said. "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."
Thunberg's request was snubbed by Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, who said the crew and passengers aboard the Madleen were aware of the risks of their journey.
Stenergard said the ministry's assessment is that no one aboard the Madleen was in danger and there was no need for consular support, according to Swedish outlet TT.
"A great responsibility rests on those who choose to travel contrary to the advice given to a place," Stenergard said outside the Swedish parliament.
The minister lamented that, as a result of Thunberg's plea, the consular hotline had received a high volume of calls that meant Swedes "in need" abroad were being held in long queues for assistance.
