Activists Allege Mistreatment of Greta Thunberg During Detention After Gaza Aid Flotilla Interception

Greta Thunberg 'Shoved, Forced To Wear Israeli Flag' In Detention, Allege Activists

Following their deportation to Turkey, two activists have reported witnessing mistreatment of Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg during detention by Israeli authorities.

Approximately 137 activists detained by Israel for participating in an aid flotilla to Gaza arrived at Istanbul Airport on Saturday after being deported. Among the returnees were citizens from multiple countries including Turkey, the United States, UAE, and various European and Middle Eastern nations, according to Turkish foreign ministry sources.

Malaysian activist Hazwani Helmi, 28, and American Windfield Beaver, 43, both alleged severe mistreatment during detention. Speaking to Reuters, they claimed Thunberg was specifically targeted, describing how she was physically shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag.

"It was a disaster. They treated us like animals," Helmi stated, adding that detainees were deprived of clean food, water, and had their medications and personal belongings confiscated.

Beaver elaborated that Thunberg was "treated terribly" and "used as propaganda," describing an incident where she was pushed into a room coinciding with the arrival of Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Israel's foreign ministry has categorically denied these allegations, describing reports of mistreatment as "complete lies." The ministry stated on social platform X that all detained activists were "safe and in good health" and expressed eagerness to complete remaining deportations "as quickly as possible." In another post, Israel accused some flotilla participants of "deliberately obstructing" the deportation process, though Reuters could not independently verify this claim.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed that 26 Italian nationals were aboard the Turkish Airlines flight, with another 15 still detained in Israel awaiting deportation alongside activists from other countries. Tajani noted he had instructed the Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv to ensure proper treatment and respect for the rights of those still detained.

Italian parliamentarians who participated in the flotilla and returned to Rome on Friday described their experience as brutal. "Those who were acting legally were the people aboard those boats; those who acted illegally were those who prevented them from reaching Gaza," stated Arturo Scotto during a press conference.

Adalah, an Israeli legal assistance group supporting the flotilla members, reported that some detainees were denied access to lawyers, water, medications, and toilets. The organization also alleged that some participants were "forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for at least five hours after chanting 'Free Palestine.'"

Israel's foreign ministry spokesperson firmly rejected these accusations, insisting that "all detainees were given access to water, food, and restrooms; they were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights were fully upheld."

The flotilla, which departed in late August, represented the latest challenge to Israel's naval blockade of Gaza, where military operations have been ongoing since Hamas' October 2023 attack. Israeli officials had consistently characterized the mission as a publicity stunt and warned against violating what they termed a "lawful naval blockade."