Israeli occupation authorities began deportation procedures on Tuesday for a group of international activists detained aboard the Madleen, a Gaza-bound ship that was intercepted by the Israeli Navy while attempting to break the siege on the besieged Palestinian enclave.

The Madleen, part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, was seized at sea early Monday and forcibly redirected to the Israeli port of Ashdod. Hours later, activists were transferred to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv to await deportation.

According to Israeli media, four of the detainees—including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg—agreed to sign voluntary departure forms. However, eight others refused, including Rima Hassan, a Member of the European Parliament for France. Hassan had previously been denied entry into Israel and deported upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport.

Those refusing deportation procedures were taken to Givon Detention Center, a facility designated for individuals Israel labels as "illegal residents." They are expected to be held for 96 hours, after which Israeli authorities have stated they will be forcibly deported if they continue to withhold consent.

The Israeli military reportedly attacked and boarded the Madleen at sea, surrounding it with naval vessels while drones hovered overhead. The incident was partially broadcast live, showing heightened tensions aboard the vessel as activists—many of them human rights defenders and solidarity campaigners—remained peaceful in their defiance of the ongoing Gaza blockade.

The Madleen mission was aimed at delivering humanitarian aid and symbolically challenging the nearly 18-year-long siege on Gaza, which rights groups and international bodies have repeatedly condemned as illegal and inhumane.

This latest interception by Israel has drawn criticism from human rights advocates and further intensified global scrutiny of its ongoing actions in Gaza and against international solidarity efforts. (ILKHA)