Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel on Tuesday, the day after the Israel Navy prevented her and a group of fellow pro-Palestinian activists from sailing to Gaza.

The Madleen, carrying 12 pro-Palestinian activists and symbolic amounts of humanitarian aid, was stopped early Monday morning by the navy and brought to the Ashdod Port.

Four of the group, including Thunberg, agreed to immediate deportation, while the eight others contested the repatriation order. They were held in the Givon detention facility in Ramle, where they were met by lawyers from Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, a Palestinian legal aid group and research center.

Brought before the Immigration and Detention Review Tribunal, Adalah attorneys Hadeel Abu Salih and Lubna Tuma, who represented the eight, argued that Israel’s interception of the Madleen and the arrest of the activists was in violation of international law, in detaining them in international waters.

They further argued that the activists were well within their rights to challenge Israel’s limited blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Several said they were being held in unsanitary conditions in the prison, “including bed bug infestations and access only to undrinkable tap water.”

Legally, people who have been issued deportation orders have 72 hours in detention before they are forcibly removed – unless they leave beforehand of their own accord.

Among those who have refused to leave are Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. She is of Palestinian origin, having been born in a refugee camp near Aleppo, Syria.

Hassan has previously drawn wide criticism for her denial that the Bibas family, excluding Yarden Bibas, were murdered, her claim that the October 7 massacre was “legitimate,” and her insistence that Palestinians in Europe should be allowed to join the “resistance.”

German Ambassador Steffen Seibert confirmed that a representative spoke with Yasemin Acar, a German national, ahead of the deportation. The German activist has previously made headlines for celebrating Iran’s attacks against Israel and for expressing solidarity with Hamas, according to KAN. Additionally, five French detainees remain.

Thunberg said on Tuesday she was kidnapped in international waters by Israeli forces as she arrived in Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport after being deported from Israel.

“We were 12 peaceful volunteers sailing on a civilian ship carrying humanitarian aid on international waters. We did not break laws. We did nothing wrong,” Thunberg told reporters after she flew into Paris, accusing Israel of kidnapping her.

“[There] is a continued violation of international law and war crimes that Israel is systematically committing against Palestinians by not letting aid come to starving people,” the 22-year-old Swede said.

Foreign Ministry denounces flotilla, calls it 'pro-Hamas' publicity stunt

The Foreign Ministry dismissed the Gaza-bound sea mission as a pro-Hamas publicity stunt.

“Greta and her friends brought in a tiny amount of aid on their celebrity yacht. It did not help the people of Gaza. This was nothing but a ridiculous gimmick,” Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told reporters on Tuesday.

Sa’ar said the small quantity of supplies aboard the UK-registered yacht would be transferred to Gaza through “real humanitarian channels.”

Thunberg defended the aid effort, organized by a pro-Palestinian group called the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, saying a larger boat that could carry a bigger cargo was disabled last month in the Mediterranean by drones allegedly operated by Israel.

She said it was unclear where she would be heading next, telling reporters it could be Sweden.

Israel has imposed a rigid land, air, and sea blockade on Gaza, saying the shutdown is needed to prevent arms from reaching Hamas terrorists. Over the past two weeks, Israel has allowed in limited food supplies largely distributed by a new Israeli-backed group. Israel says the step is necessary to prevent Hamas from diverting aid.

Danielle Greyman-Kennard contributed to this report.