Greta Thunberg Arrives in Greece with Expelled Gaza Flotilla Activists

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg arrived in Greece on Monday alongside scores of fellow campaigners expelled from Israel after attempting to deliver aid to Gaza, AFP reporters confirmed.

The 22-year-old activist was among hundreds who had boarded the Global Sumud Flotilla, which sought to break Israel’s blockade of the war-torn Palestinian territory. Many participants reported mistreatment by Israeli authorities upon their return to Europe.

Arrival in Athens

• Date: Monday, 7 October 2025
• Location: Athens International Airport
• Number of activists: 161 (Thunberg included)
• Welcoming crowd: Scores of rights campaigners

Thunberg described the flotilla as “the biggest ever attempt to break Israel’s illegal and inhumane siege by sea”.

“That this mission has to exist is a shame,” she said, urging global action to prevent what she called Israel’s “genocide” of the Palestinians.
“We are not even seeing the bare minimum from our governments.”

Activists displayed a giant Palestinian flag at the arrivals hall, chanting slogans such as “Freedom for Palestine” and “Long live the flotilla!”

Allegations of Mistreatment

One of the returning activists, Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament, claimed to have been assaulted by Israeli police during detention.

“I was beaten by two police officers when they put me in the van,” Hassan told AFP.
She added that detainees were confined in groups of up to 15 per cell on mattresses in a high-security Israeli prison.

Yasmin Acar, a member of the flotilla’s steering committee, reported:

• Detainees were treated “like animals” and labelled “terrorists”.
• They were physically assaulted and deprived of sleep.
• During the first 48 hours, they were provided with no food or clean water.

Israel has denied the accusations, calling them false.

Flight and Repatriation

• Special repatriation flight: Carried 27 Greek nationals and 134 from 15 European countries
• Total deported by Israel: 171 activists to Greece and Slovakia

The Slovak foreign ministry confirmed one citizen returned home, along with nine other nationals from the Netherlands, Canada, and the United States.

Background of the Flotilla

Israel has labelled the flotilla an offshoot of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement, and stated that the boats entered a prohibited zone, carrying minimal humanitarian aid.

International Reactions

Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva called on X for the immediate release of Brazilian nationals, condemning Israel’s actions as a violation of international law.

“This absurd situation must end as soon as possible,” he wrote, criticising Israel for continuing to detain activists after intercepting the flotilla.

The flotilla had attempted to break through the blockade to deliver aid to Gaza, where the humanitarian situation remains critical, with the UN recently declaring a famine in the territory.

Thunberg’s arrival highlights continued international concern over both the blockade and the treatment of activists seeking to provide humanitarian assistance.