Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who was deported this Tuesday after the interception in international waters of the Freedom Flotilla heading to Gaza, has accused the Israeli government of kidnapping the crew of the ‘Madleen’.
“They have committed an illegal act by kidnapping us in international waters against our will, taking us to Israel, holding us on the ship without letting us out, but that is not the real story here: the real story is that there is a genocide underway in Gaza,” he said in statements to the press upon arriving in Paris.
Thunberg also highlighted shortly after arriving at Charles de Gaulle Airport that her own deportation experience “is nothing compared to what the Palestinians are enduring” and called for the “immediate” release of the rest of the crew still in Israel.
The activist has also stated that the recognition of the State of Palestine, while “welcome,” is “the bare minimum.” “We need much more than that. When there is a risk of genocide happening, we have a duty to prevent that from happening,” she pointed out, also urging to achieve a ceasefire in the enclave.
The Freedom Flotilla, which advocates for the importance of International Law through civil disobedience and nonviolent action, has carried out numerous attempts to deliver supplies to the population of Gaza since Israel imposed a maritime blockade on the enclave in 2007. The Israeli offensive has left nearly 54,900 dead to date, according to Gaza authorities controlled by Hamas.