Greta Thunberg mistreated by Israeli forces in detention, activists say

A wave of outrage and disbelief followed the deportation of 137 international activists from Israel after they joined a Gaza aid flotilla, with several participants alleging that climate campaigner Greta Thunberg was subjected to humiliating and harsh treatment by Israeli forces, the Al Jazeera reported.

The deportees, arriving in Istanbul on Saturday, included 36 Turkish nationals alongside activists from the United States, Italy, Malaysia, Kuwait, Switzerland, Tunisia, Libya, Jordan, and other countries, Turkish officials confirmed.

Turkish journalist Ersin Celik, a flotilla participant, described witnessing Thunberg being dragged on the ground and forced to kiss the Israeli flag. Similar accounts came from Malaysian activist Hazwani Helmi and American participant Windfield Beaver, who said Thunberg was shoved and paraded with the flag, calling her treatment “terrible” and propagandistic.

“It was a disaster. They treated us like animals,” Helmi said, recalling that detainees were denied food, clean water, and medication. Beaver added that Thunberg, only 22 years old, was used as a spectacle while far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the room.

Italian journalist Lorenzo Agostino echoed the claims, saying: “Greta Thunberg, a brave young woman, was humiliated and wrapped in an Israeli flag, exhibited like a trophy.”

Other deportees recounted harrowing conditions: Turkish TV presenter Ikbal Gurpinar said detainees were left hungry for three days, drinking from toilets under sweltering heat. Activist Aycin Kantoglu described bloodstained prison walls and messages from former detainees, giving them a glimpse of the trauma endured by Palestinians.

Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani confirmed 26 Italians were deported, with 15 others still in Israeli custody awaiting expulsion. Italian MP Arturo Scotto condemned the actions, saying:

“Those acting legally were the people aboard the boats; those acting illegally were those who prevented them from reaching Gaza.”

Israeli rights group Adalah said detainees were forced to kneel with zip-tied hands for hours, denied medication, and blocked from consulting lawyers. Israel’s foreign ministry dismissed these claims as “complete lies,” insisting all legal rights were respected and detainees had access to food, water, restrooms, and legal counsel.

The flotilla, which involved about 40 boats carrying humanitarian aid, was intercepted by the Israeli navy, leading to the detention of more than 450 people. Critics argue the raid underscores the illegality of Israel’s blockade, which has left Gaza’s 2.3 million residents cut off amid the ongoing war.

Launched in late August, the flotilla represented the latest international effort to break the siege and deliver aid to Palestinians, highlighting the stark human toll of the conflict and the lengths activists are willing to go to stand in solidarity with Gaza.