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Last week, Greta Thunberg<\/a> and 436 other activists, lawyers, and parliamentarians were arrested and detained<\/a> by Israeli officials. Sailing as the Global Sumud Flotilla<\/a>, a coalition of 42 vessels attempting to deliver humanitarian aid <\/strong>to Gaza in the midst of a 16-year naval blockade by Israel and Egypt and what a growing body of institutions and experts<\/a> calls a genocide by Israel, participants from 44 different countries had departed from Europe late August. Since their arrest, over a hundred flotilla crew members have been deported, and several have testified to brutal mistreatment<\/a>, especially of Thunberg.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Detainees have described<\/a> threats to their lives and beatings and claimed they were denied access to food, water, sleep, and medication. \u201cAt 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,\u201d one Spanish activist told Reuters<\/a>. An Australian delegate reportedly notified his country\u2019s officials<\/a> that he was slapped to the ground and his arm was <\/strong>dislocated. Lawyers from the Israeli human-rights organization Adalah stated that<\/a> crew members\u2019 rights were \u201csystematically violated \u2026 in clear breach of their fundamental rights to due process, impartial trial, and legal representation.\u201d<\/p>\n Thunberg, who had already been captured, detained, then deported<\/a> from Israel for her participation in a similar aid flotilla in June, was allegedly targeted by officials. The Turkish journalist Ersin Celik told<\/a> local news outlets<\/a> that Israeli forces \u201cdragged little Greta by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag.\u201d He added, \u201cThey publicly humiliated her and targeted her specifically because she\u2019s a well-known figure.\u201d The Italian journalist Lorenzo Agostino offered a similar account, saying Thunberg\u00a0was \u201cwrapped in an Israeli flag and exhibited like a trophy.\u201d One American citizen who was also detained, Windfield Beaver, said Thunberg was \u201ctreated terribly\u201d and \u201cused as propaganda,\u201d per Al Jazeera<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to an email sent by the Swedish Foreign Ministry to Thunberg\u2019s family and friends that was reviewed by<\/a> the Guardian, Thunberg described \u201cdehydration,\u201d \u201cinsufficient amounts of both water and food,\u201d and \u201crashes which she suspects were caused by bedbugs\u201d to a Swedish official who visited her. \u201cAnother detainee reportedly told another embassy that they had seen [Thunberg] being forced to hold flags while pictures were taken,\u201d the official added. \u201cShe wondered whether images of her had been distributed.\u201d<\/p>\n Far-right Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stood by the treatment of the\u00a0imprisoned activists. \u201cI was proud that we treat the \u2018flotilla activists\u2019 as supporters of terrorism,\u201d he said in a statement. \u201cAnyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists. If any of them thought they would come here and receive a red carpet and trumpets \u2014 they were mistaken.\u201d The Israel Foreign Ministry denied<\/a> that any abuses had occurred, telling reporters, \u201cAll detainees from the Hamas-Sumud provocation were given access to water, food, and toilets; they were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights, including access to medical care, were fully upheld.\u201d<\/p>\n Demonstrations in several major cities erupted<\/a> last week to protest Israel\u2019s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, most of which was stopped<\/a> about 70 miles from Israel\u2019s shore. (U.N<\/a>. laws stipulate that a nation\u2019s territory does not extend beyond 12 nautical miles from its shores; the U.S. does not follow this convention.)<\/p>\n Thunberg was deported to Greece, where she was greeted by cheering supporters<\/a> at the airport Monday. During a press conference<\/a> there today, she declined to elaborate upon her own treatment in prison: \u201cThat is not the story,\u201d she said. \u201cIsrael is escalating genocide and mass destruction with genocidal intent, attempting to erase an entire population in front of our eyes.\u201d Many flotilla members still remain imprisoned in Israel, including 21 Americans<\/a>.<\/p>\n Greta Thunberg shares a video detailing the conditions in which Israel is keeping Palestinian adults & children, following her release. pic.twitter.com\/E2krC05U0H<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Pop Base (@PopBase) October 6, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Stay in touch.<\/p>\n Get the Cut newsletter delivered daily<\/p>\n Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice<\/p>\n\n