Greta Thunberg arrived in Athens after being deported from Israel alongside 170 other members of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
Their vessels were intercepted in the Mediterranean last week for taking part in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Thunberg, 22, said “there is a genocide going on in front of our very eyes” as she spoke to the press at the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport on Monday evening.
“No-one has the privilege to say we are not aware of what is happening,” she said. “No-one is the future will be able to say we did not know.
“Under international law, states have a legal obligation to prevent and to stop a genocide from happening,” she added. “That means ending complicity, applying real pressure and ending arms transfers. We are not seeing that, we are not even seeing the bare minimum from our governments.”
Israel’s foreign ministry shared images of “Greta and other participants in this PR stunt” at the airport before being deported, following their detention in Israel.
Several activists returning home have alleged abuse and humiliation by Israeli guards. Israel’s foreign ministry earlier described reports that detainees had been mistreated as "complete lies".
Key Points
- Greta Thunberg speaks out as she lands in Athens after deportation
- Greta Thunberg among activists deported from Israel
- Gaza flotilla activists allege they were abused while detained in Israel: ‘Constant stress and humiliation’
- Spanish activists join detainees in alleging mistreatment by Israeli military
- New flotilla sets sail aiming to break blockade
Adalah lawyers say activists' rights repeatedly violated
04:00 , Bryony GoochAdalah lawyers have seen most, but not all, of the activists. Lubna Tuma, a lawyer for the group, said Israeli authorities have repeatedly violated activists' rights.
Tuma said it started with their interception in international waters and continued with their transfer to Israel and detention in a maximum security prison, where Tuma said activists were subject to physical violence and humiliation. Israeli authorities have strongly rejected the claims, reiterating that the detainees' rights had been respected throughout their detention. Israel's foreign ministry accused one activist of biting a female medical staff member.
Several activists have given testimonies alleging mistreatment by Israeli authorities. "There was some dehumanizing and violence and shouting," Roos Ykema, a Dutch member of the flotilla who was deported to Madrid on Sunday, told The Associated Press. "But we got the European treatment," she added.
North African nationals who were detained told the AP they faced harsher treatment than their European counterparts.
"When I showed my Belgian passport their behavior towards me changed completely," said Houssem Eddine Rmedi, a dual Tunisian-Belgian citizen.
Watch: Greta Thunberg speaks out after Israel deport her
03:00 , Bryony GoochNelson Mandela's grandson among remaining detainees in Israel
02:00 , Bryony GoochLubna Tuma, a lawyer with the Adalah association representing more than 470 Global Sumud Flotilla participants who were detained last week as they attempted to break the Israeli siege of Gaza, said 150 people were still held in Israel's Ktziot prison, including Nelson Mandela's grandson, Mandla Mandela.
Forty of them were on hunger strike, including many Tunisians. "Some stated that they prefer that their food go to the people in Gaza," Tuma said during a briefing on Monday that was broadcast on Adalah's and the flotilla's Instagram accounts.
Others were also refusing to drink water "until medical treatment is given to all detainees," she said.
The association's legal team said the remainder of the activists — including those from countries that don't maintain diplomatic relations with Israel — were expected to be deported on Tuesday.
Recap: Israel deport 171 detainees to Greece and Slovakia
01:00 , Bryony GoochIsraeli authorities said they have deported to Greece and Slovakia another 171 people detained for taking part in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, including prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
Israel's foreign ministry posted on X that "the deportees were citizens of Greece, Italy, France, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway, the UK, Serbia, and the United States".
The post included photos of Ms Thunberg and other activists.
Ms Thunberg was among dozens of deportees to land in Athens on Monday afternoon. Crowds of supporters gathered at an airport and chanted "Free free Palestine!" as activists disembarked one by one.
"That this mission has to exist, it's a shame! It is a shame!" Ms Thunberg told journalists and protesters shortly upon arriving. "I could talk for a very, very long time about our mistreatment and abuses in our imprisonment, trust me, but that is not the story."
Instead, Ms Thunberg urged world leaders and ordinary citizens around the world to end their "complicity" with the "genocide" being carried out against Palestinians in Gaza.
"This action was challenging our extremely violent business as usual," Ms Thunberg said. "We cannot take our eyes away from Gaza."
In pictures: Greta speaks in Athens airport
00:00 , Bryony Gooch
Recap: Israel denies claims of mistreatment from flotilla activists
23:00 , Bryony GoochIsrael's foreign ministry has described widespread reports of detainees being mistreated after the flotilla was intercepted as "complete lies". A spokesperson told Reuters over the weekend that all detainees were given access to water, food, and restrooms, adding: "they were not denied access to legal counsel and all their legal rights were fully upheld".
On Sunday, the Swiss Embassy in Tel Aviv visited 10 Swiss nationals and said all were "in relatively good health, given the circumstances."
Former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau, who was also on the flotilla, said there had been "mistreatment, but that was nothing compared to what the Palestinian people suffer every day".
Spanish journalists Carlos de Barron and Nestor Prieto said Israeli authorities signed a statement on the deported activists' behalf claiming they had entered Israel illegally.
"They placed documents in Hebrew in front of us, denying us the right to a translator, and we did not receive consular assistance because they did not allow the (Spanish) consul to enter the port of Ashdod," Prieto said.
Consular staff have visited activists at the prison, according to statements from several countries whose citizens were detained.
Swiss Gaza flotilla activists allege 'inhumane detention conditions' in Israel
22:02 , Maira ButtNine Swiss members of the Gaza aid flotilla have alleged they have been subject to inhumane conditions while in detention in Israel.
A total of 19 Swiss nationals, including the former mayor of Geneva Remy Pagani, were aboard boats in the flotilla of dozens of vessels that tried to deliver aid to Israeli-blockaded Gaza.
They were taken into custody on Wednesday by Israeli forces who intercepted the flotilla at sea and taken to Israel's Ktzi'ot prison, according to the Waves of Freedom flotilla group.
"The participants condemned the inhumane detention conditions and the humiliating and degrading treatment they suffered upon their arrest and incarceration," a statement by the group said.
Israel said on Sunday that the legal rights of the activists were being "fully upheld", that no physical force was used and all detainees were given access to water, food, and restrooms.
Detainees described conditions of sleep deprivation, lack of water and food, as well as some being beaten, kicked, and locked in a cage, the statement added.
Israel did not immediately comment on the new allegations.
Swinney ‘very concerned’ about Gaza aid flotilla Scots detained by Israel
21:34 , Maira Butt
Swinney ‘very concerned’ about Gaza aid flotilla Scots detained by Israel
New flotilla sets sail to Israel in attempt to breach blockade
21:02 , Maira ButtA new fleet of nine vessels has set sail to Gaza in an attempt to break Israel’s blockade of the besieged Strip.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition follows the detention of hundreds of activists on board the Global Sumud Flotilla, by Israeli authorities last week.
Among them is one called “Soul of My Soul” after Palestinian grandfather Khaled Nabhan who was killed by an Israeli strike in December 2024.
Nabhan, a gardener, shot to fame after footage of him cradling the body of his deceased three-year-old granddaughter and calling hear the “soul of my soul” went viral on social media. He gained over one million followers on social media before his death.
171 flotilla activists have been deported, says Israel
20:30 , Maira ButtIsrael’s justice minister Yariv Levin said that 170 activists, detained after trying to carry aid to Gaza, have been deported.
In a statement on Monday he said that of the 309 still in custody, 200 are expected to be expelled in the next 24 hours.
The activists have alleged they were mistreated by Israeli authorities, and were beaten, dragged along the floor, blindfolded and insulted.
They said they witnessed 22-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg mistreated. Israel has denied the claims.
Greta Thunberg calls for the release of flotilla 'comrades'
20:00 , Bryony GoochGreta Thunberg has called for the release of her fellow flotilla volunteers in a video on social media.
“We are now many who are safe and released from imprisonment and absurd treatment, but many of our comrades from the Global Sumud Flotilla are not and they need to be released now,” she said.
Daughter of flotilla detainee calls for sanctions on Israel
19:55 , Maira Butt
Gaza flotilla activists allege they were abused while detained in Israel: ‘Constant stress and humiliation’
19:20 , Maira ButtSome of the activists detained while trying to reach Gaza by sea have returned to their home countries to describe abuse and humiliation at the hands of Israeli guards.
Some 450 activists were arrested as Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 42 boats seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid to the famine-stricken territory.
Gaza flotilla activists allege they were abused while detained in Israel
What will happen to the ships intercepted by Israel?
18:45 , Maira ButtLast week, Israel’s broadcaster Kan reported that the Israeli military would take control of the Global Sumud Flotilla, comprising of over 40 vessels.
However, it said that Israel would not tow all of them and would let some sink at sea, according to Al Jazeera.
Analysis: What's next for Greta Thunberg?
18:38 , Bryony GoochGreta Thunberg has been deported to Greece after her journey aboard an aid-filled flotilla to Gaza was intercepted last week in the Mediterranean.
But with allegations of mistreatment and abuse while detained in Israel, it remains unclear what is next for the activist.
This isn’t the first time Ms Thunberg has boarded a flotilla to the war-torn strip - or been detained by Israel as a result. When she boarded the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in July, the vessel was intercepted by Israel and she was deported a day later.
She said in an interview it was "a bit unclear" why she was released while others remained detained. She said that she was made to sign a document stating she wished to leave Israel as soon as possible, and that she had not entered the country illegally.
With more alarming stories about her experience of detainment on her second attempt trying to get aid into Gaza, questions remain as to whether she will try again.
Greta Thunberg affirms that mistreatment from imprisonment is 'not the story' as she focuses on Gaza
18:27 , Bryony GoochAfter she arrived in Athens, Greta Thunberg said she could "talk for a very, very long time about our mistreatment and abuses in our imprisonment, trust me, but that is not the story".
"What happened here was that Israel, while continuing to worsen and escalate their genocide and mass destruction with genocidal intent, attempting to erase an entire population, an entire nation in front of our very eyes, they once again violated international law by preventing humanitarian aid from getting into Gaza while people are being starved."
Palestinians able to fish for food while Israeli navy 'distracted'
18:15 , Maira ButtFootage has circulated on social media of Palestinians in Gaza fishing for food as the Israeli Navy were occupied with intercepting flotillas carrying aid to the besieged Strip.
The United Nations has criticised Israel’s “systematic attacks” on fishing in a May 2025 report. Israel called the flotilla mission a publicity stunt and “provocation”.
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Woman onboard Gaza flotilla intercepted by Israel slams British government for not intervening to help aid mission
17:45 , Maira ButtA woman onboard an aid flotilla intercepted by the Israeli military en route to Gaza has called on the UK government to intervene to allow the safe passage of the boat to the war-torn territory.
Ewa Jasiewicz was aboard one of 44 boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is delivering aid to the war-torn territory. She was sailing the treacherous journey 15 years after witnessing Israeli forces kill nine of her fellow activists during a raid on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in 2010.
British woman on Gaza flotilla captured by Israel calls on UK government to intervene
Greta Thunberg speaks out as she lands in Athens after deportation
17:21 , Bryony GoochAs Greta Thunberg arrived in Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in Athens on Monday, she shared the following statement:
“Let me be very clear; there is a genocide going on in front of our very eyes, a live-streamed genocide on all of our phones,” she said according to The Guardian.
“No-one has the privilege to say we are not aware of what is happening. No-one is the future will be able to say we did not know.Under international law, states have a legal obligation to prevent and to stop a genocide from happening.
“That means ending complicity, applying real pressure and ending arms transfers. We are not seeing that, we are not even seeing the bare minimum from our governments.”
New flotilla 'days away' from Gaza
17:20 , Maira ButtA new flotilla is 200 nautical miles from the Gaza Strip, as activists continue the attempt to deliver aid to Palestinians in the besieged region.
“A new flotilla is just days away from reaching Palestinian territorial waters, sailing to break Israel's illegal and deadly blockade, and to send urgently needed medics and journalists to Gaza,” the Global Sumud Flotilla shared.
“The flotilla is currently 200 nautical miles from Gaza. “Thank you to all of you who are keeping an eye on the flotilla & sharing our content.”
A new flotilla is just days away from reaching Palestinian territorial waters, sailing to break Israel's illegal and deadly blockade, and to send urgently needed medics and journalists to Gaza.
— Global Sumud Flotilla (@GlobalSumud) October 6, 2025
The flotilla is currently 200 nautical miles from Gaza.
“Thank you to all of you who… pic.twitter.com/LRy0TYCxry
Watch: Greta Thunberg arrives in Greece after being deported from Israel
17:10 , Maira ButtGreta Thunberg arrives in Athens
16:57 , Maira ButtSwedish activist Greta Thunberg arrives at the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in Athens on Monday after being deported from Israel for taking part in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
Watch: Gaza flotilla activists allege mistreatment while being detained in Israel
16:32 , Maira ButtWorldwide protests after flotilla intervention
16:00 , Maira ButtProtests erupted across the globe after over 400 activists were stopped from delivering aid to Gaza on the Global Sumud Flotilla. Around 46 nationalities were represented on the humanitarian mission.
Israel confirms nationalities of deported citizens
15:32 , Maira ButtThe 171 people that have been deported to Greece and Slovakia are citizens of the UK, Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Greece, Italy, France, and the US, according to Israel.
Over 400 flotilla members were detained last week after Israel intercepted a fleet of ships carrying aid to the Gaza Strip.
British citizens Evie Snedker and journalist Kieran Andrieu arrive in the UK
14:35 , Maira ButtBrits are among the flotilla activists who have been deported on Monday after being captured and detained by Israeli forces last week.
Evie Snedker and Novara journalist Kieran Andrieu were seen arriving at an airport wearing tracksuits similar to those worn by Thunberg.
“I’m back safe and sound and have broken my hunger strike since landing back in the UK {and finally got out of my prison clothes),” Snedker wrote in a post on Instagram.
“I’ve been so isolated from everything so I am trying to catch up, on messages and events while taking a couple days for some R&R,” she added.
In PIctures: Greta Thunberg is released by Israel and arrives at airport
14:18 , Maira Butt
Israel intercepted Gaza aid flotilla in international waters – is it legal?
13:54 , Maira ButtWorld leaders and human rights groups have condemned Israel’s actions, saying they violated international maritime law.
Was the Gaza aid flotilla legal under international law?
The activists said their non-violent, civilian mission is lawful, Israel and its supporters deny this.
Israel intercepted Gaza aid flotilla in international waters – is it legal?
