As she stepped off a late-night flight in Sweden, Greta Thunberg was greeted like a returning hero.
Dozens waved Palestinian flags, handed her flowers, and wrapped her in a traditional keffiyeh scarf, chanting “Free Palestine!” But amid the warm welcome, a wave of controversy was already catching up with her.
The 22-year-old climate activist had just been deported from Israel after participating in a symbolic flotilla that tried to deliver aid to Gaza—and now she’s facing tough questions about the people she was sailing alongside.
“I Didn’t Know”—Greta Responds to Ties With Extremist Supporters
Speaking to Swedish reporters upon landing in Stockholm, Thunberg admitted she hadn’t known some of her fellow activists had previously shown public support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.
When asked directly, she said, “I haven’t heard about it or what this person has said.”
And why hadn’t she looked into the backgrounds of those onboard the Madleen aid boat? “Because I haven’t had a phone,” she replied.
Pressed further by journalists, Thunberg fired back, “Should I ask exactly everyone what exactly they have said about everything? It would take some time.”
The People Behind the Flotilla
One of the voyage’s main organizers, Zaher Birawi, has been labeled a “Hamas operative” by both Israeli officials and UK Labour MP Christian Wakefield.
Birawi, based in London, is a prominent member of the Freedom Flotilla International Coalition and runs the Europal Forum—an organization designated by Israel as a terrorist group in 2021.
Another controversial figure involved was Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, who traveled on the same boat as Thunberg.
Reports suggest he previously attended the funeral of Hezbollah’s leader and even praised him online as a source of “inspiration.”
Deportation, Defiance, and a Determined Return
After being intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off Egypt early Monday, Thunberg and the other 11 activists on board were taken to Ashdod port and detained.
While four, including Thunberg, agreed to leave voluntarily, all twelve have now been banned from Israel for a century, according to legal aid group Adalah.
Despite the ban, Thunberg isn’t backing down.
“We’re not going to stop,” she told reporters in Paris during a layover.
“We promised the Palestinian people we would do everything we can. This is not the end.”
“A Genocide Is Happening”—Greta’s Strong Words for Israel
Thunberg didn’t mince her words when discussing the conflict.
“What I’m afraid of is silence during an ongoing genocide,” she said.
She accused Israel of committing war crimes, violating international law, and systematically starving over two million people in Gaza.
Her language echoed that of human rights groups such as Amnesty International, which have also used the word “genocide”—a term that Israel firmly rejects.
“We must act,” she insisted. “If our governments won’t, then we must.”
“Kidnapped at Sea”—Her Account of the Interception
Thunberg described the experience of being detained by Israeli forces as “dehumanising.”
In a pre-recorded SOS video released after her capture, she accused Israel of “kidnapping” her from international waters.
Although a widely shared photo showed her smiling while being offered a sandwich by a soldier, Thunberg claimed the image was part of a PR stunt.
“There were so many issues,” she said, adding that detainees struggled to contact lawyers. “I wasn’t even allowed to say goodbye,” she said.
“But of course, it’s nothing compared to what Palestinians are going through.”
Israeli Officials Fire Back: “Anti-Semitic” and “Instagram Activism”
Israel’s response was swift—and scathing. Defence Minister Israel Katz said he ordered Thunberg and her fellow activists to be shown raw footage from the October 7 Hamas attacks before deportation.
According to him, they refused to watch.
“These flotilla members are anti-Semitic,” Katz claimed, adding that Thunberg and others were “turning a blind eye to the truth.”
A government spokesperson went even further: “This wasn’t humanitarian aid.
This was Instagram activism. Greta wasn’t bringing food—she was bringing herself.”
French and U.S. Leaders Enter the Debate
The controversy also reached Europe and the U.S. The French government confirmed that five of the six detained French nationals refused to sign deportation papers and would now face judicial proceedings.
And, in trademark fashion, former U.S. President Donald Trump chimed in.
“I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg,” he said.
“She’s a young, angry person… She needs anger management.”
Thunberg’s response? “I think the world needs a lot more young, angry women—especially with everything going on right now.”
“This Is Not the End”
Though this voyage ended in deportation, Greta Thunberg made it clear: she’s not done.
Despite the controversy, criticism, and restrictions, she plans to keep fighting for Palestinians—and to keep showing up.
“What matters most,” she said, “is that we don’t give in to hopelessness.
We try. Every day. In every way.”