A specially chartered flight carrying 27 Greek activists, among them Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, landed safely at Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos today, following their detention in Israel as participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla.
The arrivals hall was filled with applause and chants from family members and supporters welcoming the activists home. The same flight also transported international activists from Italy, France, and other European countries, totaling 161 passengers, while Thunberg continued her journey on a connecting flight.
@news247gr 🇵🇸 Έφτασαν στην Αθήνα πάνω από 70 μέλη του Global Sumud Flotilla, ανάμεσά τους και οι 27 Έλληνες, που αφέθηκαν ελεύθεροι από το Ισραήλ. Οι ακτιβιστές, ανάμεσά τους και η Γκρέτα Τούνμπεργκ, μεταφέρθηκαν με ειδική πτήση τσάρτερ από το διεθνές αεροδρόμιο Eilat-Ramon. 🎥 NEWS 24/7, Ελευθερία Τσαλίκη #Gaza #Palestine #Flotilla
Safe return to Athens
The Greek activists had participated in the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international campaign aiming to challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza and raise awareness of Palestinian rights.
Israeli authorities detained the participants, citing security concerns and unauthorized attempts to approach Gaza by sea. The detention drew significant international attention, with governments and human rights organizations calling for the safe release of the activists.
Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis confirmed that all Greek nationals were in good health, noting “isolated incidents of verbal violence” during their detention. The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated closely with Israeli authorities to ensure their safety and well-being throughout the process.
Greek activist describes harsh conditions during detention in Israel
One of the Greek activists detained in Israel shared their experience, describing extreme mistreatment:
“They had us tied up for six hours, forced to stare at the floor, and anyone who moved was kicked. Then we spent another five hours tied up and blindfolded during the transfer to the prison in the van. We went 24 hours without water. We were completely denied access to medicine and doctors. People were fainting because they had no insulin or other necessary medications, and when we banged on the cell doors to alert the guards, the Israeli response was, ‘We don’t have doctors for animals.’
We were denied all communication with the outside world. But all of this is nothing compared to what Palestinians endure in prison. If they treated us this way, imagine how they treat the 10,000 Palestinian detainees, including 600 children.”
@nbcnews #GretaThunberg and other activists from an international #flotilla arrived in Greece after Israel said it deported activists who attempted to deliver aid to Gaza.
International coordination and diplomatic efforts
The repatriation flight also carried 134 activists from 15 other European countries, highlighting the multinational dimension of the flotilla. Those deported included citizens from Sweden, Poland, Germany, Ireland, and other nations.
The safe return of the Greek activists and Thunberg marks the end of a tense period of detention in Israel and demonstrates the importance of diplomatic coordination in safeguarding citizens involved in high-profile activism.
Their arrival in Athens serves as both a resolution of the immediate situation and a symbolic moment of international solidarity.
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