Greta Thunberg appeared to cover her head with her coat as she was flown out of Israel after she and other activists attempted to reach Gaza on a 'freedom flotilla' aid ship.

Passengers filmed and took pictures of Thunberg as she was being deported by Israeli authorities on Tuesday, a day after Israeli forces detained her and a crew of 11 others in international waters.

The 22-year-old looked disheveled and tired as she sat at the back of the El Al jet from Ben Gurion to Paris, with a picture showing her putting her blue waterproof jacket on her head.

A video clip circulating online appears to show her with the coat pulled all the way down over her face at another point in the journey.

In a separate clip shared on social media, apparently from the same flight, a member of airline staff can be heard praising the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).