Israel says activists from Gaza-bound aid ship at airport for deportation

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said early Tuesday that activists from a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship it intercepted have arrived at an airport for deportation.

The ministry said in a statement that the volunteers from the Madleen, which was loaded with vital humanitarian supplies for the Gaza Strip, arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries.

Some of them are expected to leave within the next few hours, it said.

"Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorize their deportation.

"Consuls from the passengers' home countries met them at the airport," it added.

Israeli forces seized the vessel early Monday, diverting it from its mission to deliver critical aid to the besieged enclave.

The aid ship had a 12-strong crew on board, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan.

A total of 12 people went on the aid mission, including 11 activists and one journalist.

Activists aboard the aid ship also included Yasemin Acar from Germany, Baptiste Andre, Pascal Maurieras, Yanis Mhamdi and Reva Viard from France, Thiago Avila from Brazil, Suayb Ordu from Türkiye, Sergio Toribio from Spain, Marco van Rennes from the Netherlands and Omar Faiad, a journalist with Al Jazeera Mubasher, also from France.