Activist Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel after a brief detention following her attempt to break Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Twelve activists were detained after Israeli naval forces boarded the Madleen early Sunday morning. Thunberg is among three of those who will be deported, and nine others have refused deportation, according to the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. The group said some were encouraged to accept deportation to speak about their experiences, while the others will have their cases heard at an Israeli court. Their first hearing is expected on Tuesday.

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A spokeswoman for the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Ann Wright, told the New York Times that Thunberg was on a flight to Paris as of Tuesday, after which she will fly to Stockholm, Sweden.

Wright said the coalition “generally encourages high-profile volunteers to leave as soon as possible to be able to speak directly to the media about their experiences to counter what the Israeli government may be saying.”

Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, will be representing the nine remaining activists. In a statement, the organization argued that the activists’ detention was illegal under international law.

“The flotilla never entered Israeli territorial waters, nor was it intended to do so. The Madleen was sailing in international waters, where Israel has no legal jurisdiction or authority, and was headed toward the territorial waters of the State of Palestine, as recognized under international law,” the statement read.

“Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen,” Huwaida Arraf, human rights attorney and Freedom Flotilla organizer, said in a statement. “This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the ICJ’s binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza. These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalized for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade — their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end immediately.”

The group added that it would be sending more ships to try to break Israel’s blockade until “Palestine is free.”

The Washington Examiner reached out to the Gaza Freedom Flotilla for further comment.

Israel insists that its naval blockade is essential to prevent arms smuggling to Hamas, which rules Gaza.

Sabine Haddad, a spokeswoman for Israel’s Interior Ministry, said those who accepted deportation had waived their right to appear before a judge, while those who didn’t will face one and then be deported after 96 hours in detention.

Sergio Toribio, a Spanish activist among the three who accepted deportation, characterized Israel’s raid on the Madleen as an act of piracy.

“It is unforgivable. It is a violation of our rights. It is a pirate attack in international waters,” he told reporters.

The small Madleen carried some humanitarian aid, but its primary purpose was to break the Israeli naval blockade symbolically. In a Sunday Telegram post, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that he had instructed Israeli forces to “take any means necessary” to stop the Madleen from reaching Gaza.

“To the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propaganda spokespeople, I say clearly: You should turn back — because you will not reach Gaza,” he said. “Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or aid terrorist organizations — at sea, in the air, and on land.”

After the vessel was boarded and the crew was arrested, the Freedom Flotilla said the activists had been “kidnapped by Israeli forces.”

The Israeli Foreign Ministry derided the voyage in a statement on X, characterizing it as a publicity stunt.

“The ‘Selfie Yacht’ docked at Ashdod Port a short while ago. The passengers are currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health,” it said, along with pictures of Thunberg and another member of the crew.

TRUMP SUGGESTS ANGER MANAGEMENT FOR ‘YOUNG, ANGRY’ GRETA THUNBERG AFTER ISRAEL SEIZES GAZA AID SHIP

Thunberg, known for her climate activism, has taken up the cause of pro-Palestinian activism following the onset of the war in Gaza. Her recent detainment by Israel is one of her several arrests for staging protests against the war since Oct. 7. Her latest stunt earned the attention of President Donald Trump.

“Well, she’s a strange person. She’s a young, angry person,” Trump said when asked if he had a message for the activist. “I don’t know if it’s real anger; it’s hard to believe, actually, but I saw what happened. She’s certainly different. Anger management. I think she has to go to an anger management class. That’s my primary recommendation for her.”