Israel deports Thunberg after seizing Gaza aid boat

The Swedish activist was delivering food and medical aid to Palestine, highlighting the growing humanitarian crisis there

Greta Thunberg talks to reporters in Paris airport
Greta Thunberg talks to reporters in Paris airport
(Image credit: Hugo Mathy / AFP via Getty Images)

What happened

Israel Tuesday deported Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and three fellow passengers on a boat seized Monday while trying to deliver a symbolic amount of food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip to highlight Israel's longtime blockade of the Palestinian enclave and the growing humanitarian crisis there. Eight other shipmates refused to sign deportation documents and were being held in an Israeli prison awaiting court hearings.

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Rafi Schwartz, The Week US

Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.