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


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.
Who said what
Israel committed "an illegal act by kidnapping us on international waters and against our will, bringing us to Israel," Thunberg, 22, said after landing at a Paris airport Tuesday. Spanish activist Sergio Toribio, deported to Barcelona, called Israel's commandeering of the British-flagged yacht the Madleen a "pirate attack in international waters." Israel dismissed the aid mission as a "selfie yacht" publicity stunt.
President Donald Trump on Monday called Thunberg a "young angry person" and dismissed her abduction claim, telling reporters that "Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg." Thunberg responded yesterday: "I think the world needs a lot more young angry women."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
Another 36 Palestinians were killed while trying to access food aid in Gaza Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry and local hospitals said. In all, "at least 163 people have been killed and 1,495 wounded in a number of shootings near aid sites" set up by the controversial U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation after Israel eased its full aid blockade last month, The Associated Press said. Israel's military has "acknowledged firing warning shots."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
How successful would Elon Musk's third party be?
Today's Big Question Musk has vowed to start a third party after falling out with Trump
-
Music reviews: Bruce Springsteen and Benson Boone
Feature "Tracks II: The Lost Albums" and "American Heart"
-
Why passkeys are the next frontier in digital security
A disruptive new technology promises to put passwords to bed forever — but not yet
-
IAEA: Iran could enrich uranium 'within months'
Speed Read The chief United Nations nuclear inspector, Rafael Grossi, says Iran could be enriching uranium again soon
-
The armed clan allied with Israel in Gaza
Under the Radar Self-styled 'Popular Forces' has been denounced by its Bedouin tribe and Hamas for 'collaborating' with Israel
-
Iran nukes program set back months, early intel suggests
Speed Read A Pentagon assessment says US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites only set the program back by months, not years. This contradicts President Donald Trump's claim.
-
Trump says Iran and Israel agreed to ceasefire
Speed Read This followed a night of Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and multiple waves of missiles fired by Iran
-
How developed was Iran's nuclear program and what's left now?
Today's Big Question Israel and the United States have said different things about Iran's capabilities
-
Trump gives himself 2 weeks for Iran decision
Speed Read Trump said he believes negotiations will occur in the near future
-
What would a US strike on Iran mean for the Middle East?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION A precise attack could break Iran's nuclear programme – or pull the US and its allies into a drawn-out war even more damaging than Iraq or Afghanistan
-
US says Trump vetoed Israeli strike on Khamenei
Speed Read This comes as Israel and Iran pushed their conflict into its fourth day