In a significant development on October 6, 2025, Israel announced the deportation of another 171 activists who were part of an aid flotilla attempting to reach Gaza. Among those expelled was renowned Swedish environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed these deportations via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that “171 additional provocateurs from the Hamas-Sumud flotilla, including Greta Thunberg, were deported today from Israel to Greece and Slovakia.” The ministry noted that the deported individuals hailed from various nations, including Greece, Italy, France, and the United States.
Allegations of Mistreatment During Detention
Earlier, on October 5, nine members of the Gaza aid flotilla had already returned to Switzerland following their deportation by Israel. These individuals, through their representative group, quickly made public accusations of inhumane conditions and degrading treatment during their time in Israeli detention.
However, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson has vehemently denied these claims, labeling them as “complete lies.” The ministry reiterated its stance that the legal rights of all detained activists were “fully upheld,” assuring that no physical force was used and that all detainees received adequate access to water, food, and restroom facilities.
The flotilla, comprising dozens of vessels, aimed to deliver aid to the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip. Israeli forces intercepted these boats at sea last Wednesday, taking the activists into custody and transferring them to Israel’s Ktzi’ot prison, as reported by the Waves of Freedom flotilla group.
Upon their arrival in Geneva on Sunday afternoon, the nine Swiss participants, including former Geneva mayor Remy Pagani, publicly denounced the “inhumane detention conditions and the humiliating and degrading treatment” they allegedly endured during their arrest and incarceration.