Thunberg

Several international activists deported from Israel after joining a Gaza aid flotilla have accused Israeli forces of mistreating climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

The 137 deportees landed in Istanbul on Saturday, including 36 Turkish nationals alongside activists from the United States, Italy, Malaysia, Kuwait, Switzerland, Tunisia, Libya, Jordan and other countries, Turkish officials confirmed.

Turkish journalist and Gaza Sumud Flotilla participant Ersin Celik told local media outlets he witnessed Israeli forces “torture Greta Thunberg,” describing how she was “dragged on the ground” and “forced to kiss the Israeli flag.”

Malaysian activist Hazwani Helmi and American participant Windfield Beaver gave similar accounts at Istanbul Airport, alleging Thunberg was shoved and paraded with an Israeli flag.

“It was a disaster. They treated us like animals,” Helmi said, adding that detainees were denied food, clean water, and medication.

Beaver said Thunberg was “treated terribly” and “used as propaganda,” recalling how she was shoved into a room as far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered.

Italian journalist Lorenzo Agostino, who had been on the flotilla, also cited the treatment of Thunberg.

“Greta Thunberg, a brave woman, is only 22 years old. She was humiliated and wrapped in an Israeli flag and exhibited like a trophy,” he told Anadolu.

Others described severe mistreatment. Turkish TV presenter Ikbal Gurpinar said, “They treated us like dogs. They left us hungry for three days. They didn’t give us water; we had to drink from the toilet … It was a terribly hot day, and we were all roasting.” She said the ordeal gave her “a better understanding of Gaza”.

Turkish activist Aycin Kantoglu recounted bloodstained prison walls and messages scrawled by previous detainees. “We saw mothers writing their children’s names on the walls. We actually experienced a little bit of what Palestinians go through,” she said.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said 26 Italians had been deported, while 15 remained in Israeli custody awaiting expulsion.

Italian MP Arturo Scotto, who was on the flotilla, told reporters, “Those who were acting legally were the people aboard those boats; those who acted illegally were those who prevented them from reaching Gaza.”

Adalah, an Israeli rights group providing legal aid, said that detainees reported being forced to kneel with zip-tied hands for hours, denied medication, and blocked from speaking with lawyers. Israel’s foreign ministry dismissed the claims as “complete lies,” insisting all detainees were treated according to law.

“All of Adalah’s claims are complete lies. Of course, all detainees … were given access to water, food, and restrooms; they were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights were fully upheld,” a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson told the news agency Reuters.

Israel has faced mounting condemnation for the raid on the flotilla, which saw its navy intercept approximately 40 boats carrying aid to Gaza and detain more than 450 people on board.

Critics say the assault underscores the illegality of Israel’s blockade, which has cut off the enclave’s 2.3 million residents during Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.

The flotilla, launched in late August, was the latest international effort to break Israel’s siege and deliver aid to Palestinians.

PRO-Palestinians have hit the streets of Manchester to protest against Greta Thunberg’s flotilla detention.

It comes just hours after the vile terror attack on Manchester‘s Heaton Park synagogue, which unfolded on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

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Protesters were marching at Manchester Piccadilly station today in solidarity with the members of Global Sumud Flotilla – a fleet of 40 ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The Israeli navy intercepted several vessels at sea beginning Wednesday, after warning activists against entering waters it says fall under its blockade.

As the nation mourned the sick terror attack against the Jewish community – which killed two people – protesters marched through the streets of Manchester.

Hundreds of them gathered outside the Manchester Piccadilly Station banging drums and chanting slogans against the Israeli authorities. 

They were seen waving Palestine flags and holding placards that read “Freedom for Palestine” and “Stop starving Gaza”.

Organisers of the protest said they “condemned in the strongest possible terms” the attack in Heaton Park – and called for a minute’s silence in respect for the victims.

Another protest took place in Parliament Square as activists gathered to demonstrate against Israeli authorities.

The protest sparked fury, including from Conservative MP Susan Hall, who described it as “disgraceful, disrespectful, despicable behaviour”.

The demonstrations come in the wake of today’s vile Manchester attack.

An assailant drove a car into people outside a synagogue and then began stabbing them, killing two and seriously wounding four in what police called a terrorist attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year.

Officers shot and killed the suspect outside Manchester, police said.

Authorities said he was wearing a vest that made it appear as if he had explosives. Police later said he did not have a bomb.

The Metropolitan Police force in London, which leads the nation’s counter-terrorism policing operations, declared the rampage a terrorist attack.

Israel slammed the UK government for not doing enough and warned that antisemitism is on the rise after the vile synagogue attack.

Tel Aviv said British authorities “failed” to tackle the “toxic wave of antisemitism” which led to the terror rampage.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said: “I am appalled by the murderous attack near the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester on the morning of the holiest day for the Jewish people: Yom Kippur.

“The truth must be told: blatant and rampant antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement, as well as calls of support for terror, have recently become a widespread phenomenon in the streets of London, in cities across Britain, and on its campuses.

“The authorities in Britain have failed to take the necessary action to curb this toxic wave of antisemitism and have effectively allowed it to persist.”

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country “grieves with the Jewish community in the UK” after this morning‘s “barbaric terror attack” in Manchester.

“Our hearts are with the families of the murdered, and we pray for the swift recovery of the wounded,” he said on X.

“As I warned at the UN: weakness in the face of terrorism only brings more terrorism. Only strength and unity can defeat it.”

Sir Keir – who cut short his trip to Denmark and rushed back to chair a Cobra meeting – condemned antisemitism and said that Britain “must defeat it once again”.

Speaking from Downing Street, the PM blasted the “terrorist attack that attacked Jews because they are Jews”, committed by “a vile individual”.

Sir Keir said: “Earlier today, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day for the Jewish community, a vile individual committed a terrorist attack that attacked Jews because they are Jews, and attacked Britain because of our values.

“So many Jewish families first came to this country as a place of refuge, fleeing the greatest evil ever inflicted on a people, and Britain welcomed them.

“Communities like the one attacked in Manchester provided safety, but also the security that comes from a promise that this is a country that stands up to hatred and that we don’t just provide refuge, we provide a home.”

Starmer said the Jewish community in Britain will see a “more visible police presence” as he promised to do “everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve”.

Protests spread in Europe

Thousands of people marched through the streets of Barcelona today to denounce Israel’s interception of a pro-Palestinian aid flotilla bound for Gaza.

Columns of demonstrators, many waving Palestinian flags, converged on the central Plaza de les Drassanes from multiple parts of Spain‘s second-largest city.

Protesters chanted slogans including “Gaza, you are not alone,” “Boycott Israel,” and “Freedom for Palestine.”

Other protests were reported in other Spanish cities tonight, including Madrid, Valencia, and Bilbao.

Thousands also gathered in Italy on Thursday in support of the Gaza aid flotilla ahead of a strike in solidarity with activists.

As dusk fell in Rome, several thousand protesters gathered near the Colosseum in solidarity with the flotilla and against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni‘s support of Israel — a day after a similar protest on Wednesday evening.

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Footage showed Israeli forces boarding the boats and detaining activists, including Greta Thunberg, as they headed for war-ravaged Gaza.

In video footage, Greta Thunberg can be seen being detained, as well as onboard vision of the flotilla at the time of the interception.

In a statement posted to the social media platform X, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said: “several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port”.

“Greta and her friends are safe and healthy”.

In a second post, the ministry shared two images of the flotilla activists, saying: “Hamas-Sumud passengers on their yachts are making their way safely and peacefully to Israel, where their deportation procedures to Europe will begin”.

“The passengers are safe and in good health,” the post ended.

Activists can be seen with life jackets on, holding their hands up in the surrender position.

Yesterday, members of the Global Sumud Flotilla reported army personnel jumped onboard and “illegally intercepted” their journey just hours after they were circled by a warship.

The humanitarian convoy was attempting to get essential aid, including baby formula and medication, to Gaza.

The Global Sumud Flotilla is made up of more than 40 civilian boats carrying an estimated 500 parliamentarians, lawyers and activists, including Thunberg.

On Wednesday, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said the activists aboard the flotilla will be deported once the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur ends on Thursday.

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The Israeli military has intercepted several ships from the flotilla of vessels carrying humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip, detaining many of the activists on board.

At least three ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla, made up of 44 vessels and some 500 activists, were intercepted approximately 70 nautical miles (130km) from the coast of Gaza, according to organisers.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on X on Wednesday that “several vessels” of the flotilla were “safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port”.

It wrote that Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who had been on board the lead ship Alma, “and her friends are safe and healthy”. The ministry also shared a video showing Thunberg.

So far, at least six ships have been intercepted by the Israeli navy, according to the activist group. The names of the vessels are Deir Yassin/Mali, Huga, Spectre, Adara, Alma and Sirius.

Several ships were targeted by acts of “active aggression”, it said. “Florida vessel has been deliberately rammed at sea. Yulara, Meteque and others have been targeted with water cannons,” it said on Telegram.

All passengers on board were unharmed, it added. Before being intercepted, the vessels had succeeded in sailing beyond the point where the Madleen Flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces earlier this year.

Before the interceptions began, the activists warned the Israeli military had cut off their connection by disabling their devices, which affected their cameras, their livestreams and communications systems that allowed the ships to relay messages to the world.

The Global Sumud Flotilla’s official channels denounced Israel’s actions in a statement, saying the mission’s vessels were being “illegally intercepted”.

“People of conscience have been abducted,” it said on X. “The flotilla broke no laws. What is illegal is Israel’s genocide, Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza, and Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon.”

The statement urged supporters to pressure governments to act, writing: “Demand your government cut ties with Israel.”

United States citizen and activist Leila Hegazy, who is on one of the vessels, posted a prerecorded message on social media stating that her sharing the video means she has been “kidnapped by the Israeli occupation forces and brought to Israel against [her] will”.

“I ask you all to pressure the United States government to end its complicity in the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza and also to ensure the safe return of every humanitarian on this mission,” she said.

Hassan Jabareen, director of the legal centre Adalah, which has represented flotilla activists in the past, told Al Jazeera that “this time, we do not know what Israel will do”.

The activists could be deported within 72 hours, according to the law, or brought to court within 96 hours. He added that some activists could be arrested but noted that Israel usually opts for immediate release.

“If they arrest and detain them, it can lead to a losing situation, because media coverage will continue as long as they are in custody,” Jabareen said.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said the activists would be deported once the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur concludes on Thursday.

Turkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Israel’s interception of the boats, denouncing it as an “act of terrorism” and a severe breach of international law. In a statement, the ministry said it was taking initiatives to ensure the immediate release of Turkish citizens and other passengers detained by the Israeli forces.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the Israeli operation was expected to take two to three hours. He told state TV Rai that the boats would be towed to Israel’s port of Ashdod and the activists would be deported in the coming days. He also said Israeli forces have been told “not to use violence”.

As news of the interceptions circulated on social media, protests broke out across several major world cities, including Athens, Rome, Berlin, Brussels, Tunis and Ankara. Italy’s largest union called a general strike for Friday in protest over the treatment of the Sumud Flotilla.

Greta Thunberg has pushed back on criticism that a Gaza-bound flotilla she is a part of is a publicity stunt, saying no one would imperil themselves purely for attention.

The Swedish activist is aboard one of 52 boats that form the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which is travelling toward Gaza with the aim of delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians there.

Israeli authorities have ridiculed the GSF flotilla and similar seaborne attempts to reach the territory, calling the boat Thunberg travelled on in June a “selfie yacht”.

Asked about these criticisms of the flotilla by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, the activist said: “I don’t think anyone would risk their life for a publicity stunt.”

Speaking while sailing off the Greek coast, she said the flotilla was not just a humanitarian mission but was also sending a message to people in Gaza that “when our governments fail to step up, the people will step up”.

International aid agencies have been attempting to get food and medicine into the Palestinian territory – but note Israel is restricting the flow of supplies. Israel claims it is attempting to stop those supplies falling into the hands of Hamas, and has approved a US-backed aid agency.

Last month, a UN-backed body confirmed that there was famine in Gaza and the UN’s humanitarian chief said it was the direct result of Israel’s “systematic obstruction” of aid entering the territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called this an “outright lie”.

Thunberg said the purpose of the flotilla was to “break Israel’s illegal and inhumane siege on Gaza by sea”. The Israeli military has long controlled the waters that border Gaza.

Earlier this month, the flotilla came under attack by drones which dropped unidentified objects onto boats outside the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said.

Another suspected drone attack on Wednesday, off the coast of Crete, led Spain and Italy to deploy naval ships to assist the flotilla.

Addressing the incidents, Thunberg accused Israeli officials of making “baseless threats” that violate international law, and asked: “Why would they attack a peaceful humanitarian mission aiming to bring humanitarian aid to a starving population?”

Israel has not commented on the drone attack, but has previously said it would not let the flotilla reach its destination.

Thunberg and 11 other activists were detained by Israeli authorities in June after they intercepted another boat heading for Gaza with a token amount of aid in the Mediterranean.

She was held in Tel Aviv for a day before being deported to France.

Thunberg accused Israel of illegally kidnapping her and the other activists while they were in international waters. Israel said it had prevented a breach of the maritime blockade around Gaza.

Sept. 2 (UPI) — A flotilla of boats loaded with medical supplies and food and carrying climate justice advocate Greta Thunberg has departed Spain for Gaza with aims to break Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian enclave.

The convoy left Barcelona Monday, according to a statement from the Global Sumud Flotilla posted to its Instagram account.

“We are united in our mission to break the siege, deliver aid and open a people’s humanitarian corridor,” it said.

“When the world stays silent, we set sail.”

The mission departed following a one-day delay due to strong winds. A sea trial had been conducted Sunday, but faced with 30-knot winds, the flotilla postponed the launch to protect its smaller boats.

According to Global Sumud Flotilla, its mission is to “break Israel’s illegal siege of Gaza” and demonstrate that its blockade of the Palestinian enclave is “collective punishment of a civilian population.”

The flotilla is expected to consist of 50 boats, with a second launch scheduled for Thursday from Tunis, Tunisia.

“Each departure will see dozens of boats carrying medical supplies, nutritional aid, and solidarity crews, converging in the Mediterranean before attempting to reach Gaza,” Global Sumud Flotilla said in a statement earlier this month.

The flotilla said hundreds of activists from more than 45 countries, including Thunberg, were a part of the first launch.

In a recorded statement published online ahead of the launch, Thunberg said that, along with delivering humanitarian aid, they are bringing a message of hope to Palestinians, showing that the world has not forgotten about them.

“We have to be very clear that Palestinians do not need anyone to come to their rescue. We don’t just need aid and food to be delivered to Gaza, we need an end to the occupation, we need an end to the apartheid system and we need an end to the genocide,” she said.

“And we need justice and freedom for everyone, from the river to the sea.”

Israel has enforced a land, sea and air blockade of Gaza since Hamas’ takeover of the enclave in 2007. The blockade has further been tightened since the Iran-backed militia’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began to allow aid into the country in May following a three-month prohibition, but international organizations say it is not enough.

On Friday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Gaza was “on a descent into a massive famine.”

“They all need food,” OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told reporters. “The entire Gaza Strip needs food. There would not have been a declared famine had there been sufficient amounts of food.”

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, nearly 350 Palestinians, including 127 children, have died of starvation, a situation widely attributed to Israel.

UNWAR Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement Aug. 22 that “This is starvation by design and manmade by the government of Israel.”

Israel has denied the allegation.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, as well as former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, on allegations of using starvation as a method of warfare.