Greta Thunberg has been deported from Israel after alleging abuse in custody following the Gaza flotilla arrest.
The 22-year-old was one of 437 activists, parliamentarians, doctors, and lawyers aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, a coalition of more than 40 vessels carrying humanitarian aid whose goal was to breach Israel’s 16-year maritime blockade of Gaza.
However, the Swedish climate activist's attempt to stand in solidarity with Palestinians ended in her arrest, alleged mistreatment, and now deportation.
Between Wednesday (October 1) and Friday (October 3), Israeli forces intercepted every vessel and detained nearly all passengers, including Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela, and several European lawmakers.
The detainees were transported to Israel, most reportedly held at Ketziot (Ansar III), a high-security prison in the Negev desert.
Witnesses claim Thunberg was mistreated
Thunberg and her legal team have alleged she endured abuse while in Israeli custody.
According to Sweden’s foreign ministry, which visited her in prison, the young woman reported dehydration, a rash she attributed to bedbugs, and prolonged confinement without adequate food or water.
“She informed of dehydration,” the embassy email reads, cited by The Guardian.
“She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food.
"She also stated that she had developed rashes which she suspects were caused by bedbugs.
"She spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces.”
Other detainees corroborated these claims as Malaysian activist Hazwani Helmi told Reuters she saw Thunberg being shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag.
"It was a disaster. They treated us like animals," Helmi added.
Turkish participant Ersin Çelik described witnessing the young activist being “dragged by her hair, before our eyes," "beaten," and "forced to kiss the Israeli flag," adding: "They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others."
After returning to Istanbul, Lorenzo D’Agostino, a journalist aboard the flotilla, also said that Thunberg was “wrapped in the Israeli flag and paraded like a trophy.”
Broader reports of abuse from detainees
Other activists, including nine Swiss nationals who returned home on Saturday (October 4), have also made the same claims.
They described sleep deprivation, food and water shortages, and physical abuse. Some even said they were kicked or locked in cages.
In addition to this, legal teams representing the flotilla - including the NGO Adalah - allege systemic violations of detainees’ rights, citing lack of access to sanitation, legal representation, and medical attention.
Israeli officials denied allegations
Israel’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the accusations as “complete lies,” insisting detainees were provided with food, water, toilets, and medical care, and were not denied legal counsel, The Independent reported.
"All 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," they reportedly said, claiming: “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."
Court records published by Israeli media suggest Thunberg did not formally complain about mistreatment during her legal proceedings.
A tribunal transcript reportedly shows that she requested deportation to Sweden but expressed no allegations of abuse.
On Monday (October 6), the Swedish campaigner landed in Greece after being deported from Israel to Greece. Reports suggest she was among roughly 70 activists released together.
This marks the second time this year Thunberg has been detained while attempting to join a Gaza aid flotilla. In both cases, Israel has chosen deportation over prosecution.