Activist Greta Thunberg has returned to Sweden after being deported from Israel, criticizing the nation for its “violations of international law and war crimes” in Gaza.
Ms. Thunberg was deported after Israeli security forces intercepted a boat with her and 11 other activists who were attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and break the blockade on the Palestinian territory.
Upon landing at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport just after 10:30 PM local time (9:30 PM Irish time), the 22-year-old was welcomed by around 30 cheering supporters waving Palestinian flags, alongside a significant media presence.
Earlier, during a stopover in Paris, Ms. Thunberg accused Israel of “kidnapping” her and the other activists.
Greta Thunberg was greeted upon her arrival at Stockholm-Arlanda airport.
“What I feel most is concern for the ongoing violations of international law and war crimes that Israel is guilty of,” Ms. Thunberg told reporters.
She claimed Israel is conducting a “systematic genocide” and “systematic starvation of over two million people” in Gaza.
Numerous rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have accused Israel of genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza, a term that Israel strongly disputes.
“We must act, we must demand that our government acts, and we must take action ourselves when our complicit governments do not step up,” Ms. Thunberg stated.
She gained international attention as a schoolgirl activist against climate change and prefers not to fly due to its environmental impact, having crossed the Atlantic by sailboat twice.
When asked by reporters about flying, she seemed puzzled and replied, “Why are you asking about that?”
All 12 activists on board the aid boat have been banned from entering Israel for 100 years.
Of the 12 individuals on the Madleen, which was transporting food and supplies for Gaza, eight were taken into custody after refusing to leave Israel voluntarily.
The remaining four, including Ms. Thunberg, were deported.
According to the rights group representing some of those aboard, all of them have been prohibited from entering Israel for a century.
Meanwhile, People before Profit-Solidarity TD Paul Murphy announced that he will join a group of 50 Irish activists marching to Gaza.
This delegation will be part of an estimated 3,000 participants in the ‘Global March to Gaza’.
They plan to convene in Cairo on Thursday, aiming to reach Rafah by Sunday.
Mr. Murphy stated that the march represents a “peaceful, humanitarian civilian response.”
The Dublin South West TD emphasized that the group will advocate for the opening of the Rafah terminal to “allow the humanitarian aid currently blocked at Rafah to finally enter Gaza.”
The October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the conflict resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, primarily civilians, according to an AFP tally of official statistics.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reports that at least 54,981 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the territory since the onset of the war. The UN considers these figures to be reliable.
Of the 251 individuals taken hostage during the Hamas attack, 54 are still held in Gaza, including 32 who the Israeli military indicates are deceased.
