Environmental activist Greta Thunberg has accused Israeli authorities of mistreating her after she was detained while taking part in a humanitarian flotilla that was attempting to reach Gaza.
According to a report by The Guardian, the 22-year-old Swedish activist told a Swedish foreign ministry official that she was held in poor conditions, describing a cell infested with bedbugs, limited food and water, and symptoms of dehydration and skin rashes.
An email from the Swedish ministry quoted Thunberg as saying she was forced to hold flags while being photographed, raising fears that the images may have been distributed without her consent.
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The claims were supported by at least two other participants of the flotilla who were detained and later released. Turkish activist Ersin Çelik alleged that Israeli officers dragged Thunberg by her hair, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag, saying the actions were meant as a warning to others. Journalist Lorenzo D’Agostino also claimed she was “wrapped in the Israeli flag and paraded like a trophy.”
Thunberg was among 437 passengers aboard the Global Sumud flotilla, which included activists, lawyers, and politicians. The vessel was intercepted by Israeli forces between Thursday and Friday, and all those on board were detained. Some were reportedly transferred to Ketziot Prison, a high-security facility in the Negev desert.
Human rights groups have since raised concerns about the treatment of detainees. NGO Adalah said prisoners were denied access to water, medication, sanitation, and lawyers, calling the situation a violation of due process. Thunberg’s legal team added that she received only a packet of crisps during her detention, while others were left without food or water for hours.
Thunberg, who was detained by Israeli authorities earlier this year during another Gaza-bound mission, was reportedly asked to sign documents she did not understand and refused to do so without legal advice.
However, the Israeli embassy dismissed the claims as “complete lies.”
“All detainees from the Hamas-Sumud provocation were given access to water, food, toilets, and legal counsel,” the embassy said in a statement. “Israel remains a state governed by the rule of law, committed to upholding the rights and dignity of all individuals in accordance with international standards.”
