Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was allegedly subjected to mistreatment by Israeli authorities following her detention aboard a flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to testimonies from several fellow activists, Reuters reported.
Thunberg, along with approximately 137 others from multiple countries, was part of the 'Sumud Flotilla', a civilian-led initiative aiming to break the Israeli naval blockade on the Gaza Strip.
The flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces earlier this week, leading to the detention and subsequent deportation of its participants.
Two activists, Hazwani Helmi of Malaysia and Windfield Beaver of the United States, told Reuters that Thunberg was "shoved" and "forced to wear an Israeli flag" during her detention.
The activists, now back in Istanbul, described conditions in Israeli custody as "inhumane", claiming detainees were denied adequate food, water, and access to medical care.
“They treated us like animals,” said Helmi, 28. “Greta was forced to play a terrorist,” he added, accusing Israeli authorities of attempting to use Thunberg for propaganda purposes.
Beaver, 43, corroborated these claims, alleging that Thunberg was "pushed into a room" as Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, arrived. He added that she was “treated terribly” and “used as propaganda.”
Turkish activist Ersin Çelik, speaking to the news agency alleged that Greta Thunberg was "dragged by the hair", assaulted, and forced to kiss the Israeli flag in a bid to intimidate others. “They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning,” he said.
However, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the allegations as "complete lies", asserting that all detainees were "safe and in good health" and that the state was working to expedite the deportations.
In a separate development, The Guardian reported that the Swedish foreign ministry had sent an internal email to Thunberg’s associates, detailing her account from detention.
The email, quoting a consular official who visited the activist in custody, stated that she had complained of dehydration, inadequate food and water, and poor hygiene.
Thunberg also alleged that she had developed skin rashes from bedbugs in her cell and endured long periods of sitting on hard surfaces.
The email also referred to reports from another unnamed detainee, who claimed that Thunberg had been forced to hold flags while being photographed.
The detained activists, who arrived in Istanbul on Saturday, included nationals from the United States, United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia, and Jordan, in addition to 36 Turkish citizens, according to Turkish foreign ministry officials.
The Sumud Flotilla, organised by international civil society groups, aimed to deliver medical and humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip, amid growing concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave following continued Israeli military operations.
