Israel has been accused of severely mistreating climate activist Greta Thunberg whilst in detention, with multiple witnesses alleging she was dragged by her hair, beaten and forced to kiss the Israeli flag after being intercepted as part of a Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla.
The Swedish campaigner was among approximately 450 activists, parliamentarians and lawyers detained after Israeli naval forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla attempting to breach Israel’s 18-year maritime blockade of Gaza between Wednesday and Thursday.
Turkish journalist and flotilla participant Ersin Çelik told CNN Turk that Israeli forces severely tortured Thunberg before their eyes. He described how they dragged the 22-year-old activist, persecuted her, made her crawl and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag, adding they did exactly what the Nazis did once.
Mr Çelik said they displayed her publicly and because she is a popular figure, they specifically targeted her.
Multiple Witnesses Corroborate Mistreatment Claims
Several other activists provided similar accounts after being deported to Istanbul on Saturday. A total of 137 deportees landed at Istanbul Airport, including 36 Turkish nationals alongside activists from the United States, Italy, Malaysia, Kuwait, Switzerland, Tunisia, Libya, Jordan and other countries.
Malaysian activist Hazwani Helmi told reporters at the airport that it was a disaster, adding that those who detained them treated them like animals. She said detainees were denied food, clean water and medication, and that Thunberg was shoved and paraded with an Israeli flag.
American participant Windfield Beaver said Thunberg was treated terribly and used as propaganda, describing how she was pushed into a room as Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered.
Italian journalist Lorenzo D’Agostino, who had been on the flotilla, told the Anadolu news agency that Thunberg, a brave woman who is only 22 years old, was humiliated and wrapped in an Israeli flag and exhibited like a trophy.
Swedish Embassy Reports Harsh Conditions
According to internal Swedish foreign ministry correspondence seen by The Guardian, Ms Thunberg told a Swedish official who visited her whilst in detention that she was held in a cell infested with bedbugs, with too little food and water.
The ministry email noted that she spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces. Another embassy was informed by a separate detainee that they witnessed Thunberg being made to hold flags whilst photographs were taken, with the activist expressing concern about whether these images had been circulated.
Turkish TV presenter Ikbal Gurpinar said they treated detainees like dogs, leaving them hungry for three days. She claimed they didn’t give them water and they had to drink from the toilet, adding it was a terribly hot day and they were all roasting.
She said the ordeal gave her a better understanding of Gaza.
Ben-Gvir Filmed Taunting Detained Activists
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Ashdod port on Thursday night, where he was filmed pointing at dozens of seated activists and calling them “terrorists” in Hebrew.
Footage released on social media showed the far-right minister standing before exhausted activists seated on the ground following hours of interrogation. He gestured at them and shouted they were terrorists and supporters of murderers.
The majority of detained activists are being held at Ketziot prison in the Negev desert, a high-security facility typically used for Palestinian security prisoners whom Israel accuses of militant or terrorist involvement.
Legal Group Reports Systematic Rights Violations
Legal representatives for the flotilla reported systematic violations of detainees’ rights. According to NGO Adalah, which provides legal aid to several activists, detainees were denied water, sanitation, medication and immediate access to lawyers.
Adalah’s lawyers met with 331 participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla at the port of Ashdod, where they faced hearings before Israeli immigration authorities. The rights group said access to their lawyers was initially denied, with several participants processed without legal counsel.
The organisation reported that after being abducted in international waters, the participants were forced to kneel with their hands bound with zip ties for at least five hours. During the lawyers’ visits, participants reported being subjected to assaults, threats and harassment, including being violently awakened every time they attempted to sleep.
Turkish activist Aycin Kantoglu recounted bloodstained prison walls and messages scrawled by previous detainees, saying they saw mothers writing their children’s names on the walls and actually experienced a little bit of what Palestinians go through.
Israel Categorically Rejects Allegations
The Israeli embassy categorically rejected the allegations as “complete lies”, insisting all detainees received water, food, toilet access and legal counsel.
An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson told Reuters that all of Adalah’s claims are complete lies, adding that of course all detainees were given access to water, food and restrooms, they were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights were fully upheld.
The ministry said Israel is and will remain a state governed by the rule of law, committed to upholding the rights and dignity of all individuals in accordance with international standards.
Second Arrest for Thunberg
This marks Thunberg’s second arrest during attempts to break Gaza’s naval blockade. In June 2025, she was detained after Israeli forces intercepted the Freedom Flotilla vessel Madleen, which was carrying baby formula, flour, rice, nappies, medical supplies and crutches.
During that incident, Israeli forces seized the vessel about 185 kilometres from Gaza in international waters and towed it to Ashdod. Thunberg described the June interception as a kidnapping and refused to sign a document stating she entered the country illegally prior to being deported.
International Condemnation and Protests
The interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which comprised more than 40 boats carrying approximately 500 activists from dozens of countries, sparked international condemnation and protests in cities including Athens, Rome, Berlin, Brussels, Tunis, Ankara, Karachi and Buenos Aires.
Italy’s largest trade union called a general strike for Friday in protest over the treatment of the flotilla activists. Italian students occupied universities in response to the interceptions.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s interception of the boats, denouncing it as an act of terrorism and severe breach of international law. South Africa’s Department of International Relations called on Israel to immediately release South Africans abducted in international waters.
The flotilla aimed to deliver food, water and medicine to civilians in Gaza, where nearly two years into Israel’s war in the enclave, the territory has been gripped by escalating death and hunger. In August, the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification reported parts of Gaza are experiencing a man-made famine.
Deportation Process Continues
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said 26 Italians had been deported on the Saturday flight to Istanbul, with another 15 remaining in Israeli custody awaiting expulsion. He stated he had given instructions to the Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv to ensure that the remaining compatriots are treated with respect for their rights.
Israeli police said more than 600 police officers, along with prison officials and immigration representatives, were deployed to Ashdod Port to process the detained activists. The activists underwent a thorough inspection process before being handed over to the Population and Immigration Authority and the Israel Prison Service for further processing before deportation.
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