More than 70 activists from the pro-Palestinian “Resilience Flotilla,” including activist Greta Thunberg, will be deported from Israel today, Agence France-Presse reported.
Most, if not all, will be flown to Greece, from where they can return to their homeland, the agency said.
28 French citizens, 27 Greeks, 15 Italians, and nine Swedes will leave Israel today. More than 20 Spaniards have already returned home from Israel yesterday.
However, after today’s mass deportation, several foreigners will remain in Israeli custody.
On October 3, Israel deported four Italians from the so-called humanitarian Sumud (Fortitude) Flotilla.
On the night of October 2, the Israeli Navy began intercepting the vessels of the Sumud Flotilla and redirecting them to the Israeli port of Ashdod, along with the activists, who will later be exiled to their countries of origin.
The humanitarian flotilla is comprised of more than 40 vessels and hundreds of activists from the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the United States.
Participants of the Sumud Flotilla stated that they planned to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza for Palestinians in need. The authorities of Israel, Italy, and Greece repeatedly offered the activists the opportunity to unload the aid at a Mediterranean port and deliver it to the Gaza Strip peacefully.
Despite Israeli warnings that they would not be allowed to reach the shores of Gaza, the flotilla members nevertheless attempted to do so. The Israeli Foreign Ministry viewed these steps as a provocation aimed at creating a negative publicity wave around Israel.
