Video: Greta Thunberg on a plane taking her from Israel / Credit: Usage under Israel's Intellectual Property Law Article 27a

The rest of the 12 activists did not sign a waiver that allows their immediate deportation, relinquishing their right to appear before a custody court judge. Thunberg was joined by French parliamentarian Rima Hassan and three others.

The eight who refused to sign were to remain in custody at a detention center for 96 hours, pending deportation.

Video: Greta Thunberg on a plane taking her from Israel / Credit: Usage under Israel's Intellectual Property Law Article 27a

Interior Minister Moshe Arbel declared, "Israel will not tolerate challenges to its sovereignty through provocative flotilla actions at its borders. I commend the Population and Immigration Authority for their prompt, professional efforts to safeguard national security and maintain public order. I have directed that all 12 participants be prohibited from entering Israel, per legal guidelines, and returned to their home countries."

Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France). pic.twitter.com/kWrI9KVoqX

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 10, 2025

The flotilla, which drew widespread attention, was stopped 110 miles from Gaza's shores. Authorities towed the ship to Ashdod port, transferring some activists to Ben Gurion International Airport and others to detention facilities.

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The activists aboard reflect a deeply radical ideology. Hassan labeled Hamas' October 7 attack as "legitimate" and dismissed reports of the Bibas family's massacre; Yasemin Acar from Germany rejoiced during Iran's missile strike on Israel and shifted protest slogans from "destroy Hamas" to "destroy Zionism"; and Thiago Ávila from Brazil, who joined mourners at Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's funeral, hailed him as a "martyr and revered leader."

Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday, "I have instructed the IDF to act so that the Madleen flotilla does not reach Gaza. To the antisemitic Greta and her friends, I say clearly: You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza."

This flotilla follows a failed attempt in May, when the ship Conscience was damaged near Malta. Organizers pointed to an Israeli drone attack, though Israel did not acknowledge responsibility. The IDF affirmed its readiness to ensure the current flotilla does not reach Gaza's shores.

Recently, Madleen, with Thunberg and 11 pro-Palestinian activists on board, veered off its Gaza trajectory to rescue migrants in the eastern Mediterranean after a distress signal from a boat carrying roughly 30-40 people. The activists accused Greece of drone surveillance on Israel's behalf, claiming it bolsters Israel's dominance in the eastern Mediterranean. They reported drones hovering 80 kilometers from Greece and urged supporters on social media to track the vessel live, asserting that public attention could thwart an Israeli move.

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