Greta Thunberg Claims Mistreatment During Israeli Detention After Gaza Aid Flotilla Attempt

Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg claimed during a Stockholm press conference on Tuesday that she and fellow Gaza flotilla participants were "kidnapped and tortured" while detained by Israeli authorities.

When asked for specific details about her treatment, Thunberg was reluctant to elaborate extensively, only mentioning the lack of clean water and stating that some detainees were deprived of essential medications.

"I personally don't wish to share details of my experience because I don't want headlines about 'Greta being tortured,' as that's not the primary story here," she explained, emphasizing that what they experienced was minimal compared to the daily suffering of Gaza's population.

Israel's foreign ministry has not immediately responded to requests for comment regarding these allegations. However, they previously denied mistreatment claims, stating last week that "All detainees were provided with water, food, and restroom access; they were not denied legal counsel, and their legal rights were fully upheld."

Thunberg participated in the Global Sumud Flotilla, a mission attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and raise awareness about conditions in the enclave, where the United Nations reports widespread hunger among the 2.2 million residents, most of whom have been displaced.

She was among 478 people detained during the flotilla attempt before being expelled from Israel on Monday. This marks her second detention for attempting to breach Israel's Gaza blockade, following a similar incident in June.

Israel has characterized these flotilla attempts as publicity stunts benefiting Hamas and has disputed reports about the severity of hunger in Gaza.

While Swedish activists previously claimed Thunberg was physically mistreated and forced to wear an Israeli flag during detention, she did not address these specific allegations during Tuesday's press conference.

Thunberg and other participants expressed disappointment with what they described as insufficient support from the Swedish government during their detention.

In response, the Swedish government issued a statement Tuesday acknowledging they had repeatedly warned against travel to Gaza, but had nonetheless provided consular support to the activists and emphasized to Israel the importance of proper treatment for Swedish citizens.