Greta Thunberg Welcomed by Pro-Palestinian Crowd in Athens After Deportation from Israel

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was greeted by a cheering pro-Palestinian crowd in Athens on Monday after being deported by Israel, along with 171 other activists, for attempting to deliver aid to Gaza by breaching Israel’s naval blockade. The group was part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, aiming to provide humanitarian supplies and highlight the crisis in Gaza, where the United Nations reports widespread hunger and displacement among its 2.2 million residents.

Israel, which denies accusations of genocide and claims hunger reports are exaggerated, labeled the flotilla a publicity stunt supporting Hamas. The Israeli foreign ministry stated that the activists’ legal rights were upheld, dismissing allegations of mistreatment as “complete lies.” However, some activists, including Swiss and Spanish members, reported inhumane conditions during detention, including sleep deprivation, lack of food and water, and physical abuse. Spanish activist Rafael Borrego described being beaten, blindfolded, and caged, while Swedish activists claimed Thunberg was forced to wear an Israeli flag and denied clean food and medication.

Thunberg, 22, told the Athens crowd, “There is a genocide going on,” accusing international systems of failing Palestinians. She emphasized that the flotilla aimed to act where governments had not, despite facing mistreatment herself. “What happened here was that Israel… once again violated international law by preventing humanitarian aid from getting into Gaza while people are being starved,” she said.

Israel reported deporting 341 of the 479 detained activists, with 161, including Thunberg, arriving in Athens. The group included citizens from nearly 20 countries, including 27 Greeks. The Swiss Embassy in Tel Aviv confirmed that 10 Swiss nationals were in “relatively good health” after detention. Former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau, also part of the flotilla, noted that their mistreatment paled in comparison to the daily suffering of Palestinians.