Greta Thunberg arrived in Greece to a cheering pro-Palestinian crowd on Monday after being deported by Israel, which had captured her and other activists on the high seas during an attempt to bring aid to Gaza.
Israel said it expelled 171 activists, including the climate activist, bringing the total deported so far to 341 out of 479 people it detained when it intercepted the flotilla attempting to break its naval blockade. Greece said 161 of the activists arrived on a flight to Athens on Monday, including 27 Greeks and citizens of nearly 20 other countries.
“Let me be very clear. There is a genocide going on,” Ms Thunberg told the crowd at Athens airport. “Our international systems are betraying Palestinians. They are not even able to prevent the worst war crimes from happening.” She added that the flotilla aimed to step in where governments failed to do their legal obligation.
The activists sought to reach Gaza with aid supplies and draw attention to the plight of its 2.2 million residents, most of whom have been displaced and face severe hunger, according to the United Nations. Israel, which rejects accusations of genocide and says reports of hunger are exaggerated, dismissed the flotilla as a publicity stunt benefiting Hamas. Ms Thunberg was previously detained by Israel in a similar attempt in June.
Swiss and Spanish activists from the flotilla alleged inhumane treatment during their detention. Swiss activists reported sleep deprivation, lack of food and water, and being beaten, kicked, and locked in a cage. Spanish lawyer Rafael Borrego told reporters at Madrid’s airport: “They beat us, dragged us along the ground, blindfolded us, tied our hands and feet, put us in cages and insulted us.”
Israel’s foreign ministry rejected the allegations as “complete lies” and said all participants’ legal rights had been upheld, adding that the only violence involved an activist who bit a female medic at Israel’s Ketziot prison.
