Israel has hit back at allegations of brutality towards Gaza flotilla activists by claiming one of the detained campaigners bit a female medical staff member at a detention facility.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued the counter-accusation on Monday, stating “the only violent incident came from a Hamas-Sumud provocateur who bit a female medical staff member of Ketziot prison”. The claim comes as Israel faces mounting criticism over its treatment of pro-Palestine activists intercepted whilst attempting to break the naval blockade of Gaza.
The biting allegation has not yet been addressed by the Global Sumud Flotilla group, which organised the maritime aid mission. However, multiple activists have accused Israeli forces of violence, intimidation and abuse during their detention following the interception of their vessels.
Greta Thunberg, the 22-year-old Swedish climate activist who joined the flotilla mission, was among those deported on Monday. Fellow detainees claimed Israeli soldiers physically shoved Thunberg and forced her to wear an Israeli flag before her expulsion from the country.
Upon arrival at Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos airport, Thunberg was greeted by cheering supporters. She raised a clenched fist whilst clutching flowers, but chose not to focus her comments on the alleged mistreatment she experienced.
“I could talk for a very, very long time about our mistreatment and abuses in our imprisonment, trust me, but that is not the story,” Thunberg said. Instead, she emphasised the broader humanitarian mission that prompted the flotilla’s journey.
“That this mission has to exist, it’s a shame! It is a shame!” the Swedish activist declared, highlighting her view that the need for civilian aid delivery efforts reflects failures in official humanitarian responses to Gaza’s crisis.
The flotilla comprised approximately 400 activists sailing aboard 45 civilian boats in an attempt to breach Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian supplies. Israeli naval forces intercepted the vessels before they could reach their destination.
A total of 171 pro-Palestine campaigners were subsequently deported from Israel to Greece and Slovakia. Around 138 activists remain in Israeli custody as authorities continue processing the detained participants.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar defended his country’s handling of the situation, insisting the activists received proper treatment. “All the legal rights of the participants in this PR stunt were and will continue to be fully upheld,” he stated.
Sa’ar dismissed the activists’ accounts of mistreatment as fabricated propaganda. “The lies they are spreading are part of their pre-planned fake news campaign,” the Foreign Minister added, suggesting the allegations were coordinated to generate negative publicity for Israel.
However, multiple detained activists have provided detailed accounts that contradict Israeli officials’ characterisation of events. Italian activist journalist Saverio Tommasi described systematic violence from the moment of interception.
“I was beaten from the moment we entered the port until the very end,” Tommasi told The Guardian. “Blows to my back, blows to my head, and they laughed, laughed at all of it. Anyone who failed to keep their eyes down was punished with a hit to the head.”
Spanish activist lawyer Rafael Borrego provided Reuters with an account of intimidation tactics allegedly employed during detention. At any time that any of us called a police officer, we risked that seven or more fully armed people entered to our cell, as they did on mine, pointing us with weapons at our heads, with dogs ready to attack us, and being dragged to the floor,” he claimed.
Italian Green politician Benedetta Scuderi said protesters were “brutally stopped” by Israeli authorities before being “brutally taken hostage”. Her description suggests activists view their detention as illegitimate imprisonment rather than lawful enforcement of maritime security measures.
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir adopted a markedly different tone, expressing satisfaction with how detention facility staff handled the activists. “I am proud of the way Ketziot prison staff treated the activists,” he said.
Ben-Gvir appeared to suggest the harsh conditions were intentionally designed to deter future flotilla attempts. “They should get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they approach Israel again,” the minister added.
The Global Sumud Flotilla announced on Monday night that additional vessels remain en route to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid, suggesting the interception and detention of this convoy has not deterred the broader campaign.
Israel maintains that its naval blockade of Gaza serves legitimate security purposes, preventing Hamas and other militant groups from receiving weapons and military equipment by sea. The government argues that humanitarian aid can be delivered through official channels after security screening.
Flotilla organisers and participants reject this position, arguing the blockade constitutes collective punishment of Gaza’s civilian population and that official aid channels provide insufficient humanitarian relief. They view direct civilian delivery attempts as necessary civil disobedience in response to what they characterise as an illegal siege.
The competing narratives around the activists’ treatment reflect broader divisions over Gaza, Israel’s security policies, and the legitimacy of different forms of protest. Israel’s allegation that a flotilla participant bit a medical worker represents its attempt to reframe the story from one of state violence against activists to one of activist aggression against Israeli personnel.
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