Activists Claim Greta Thunberg Was Dragged by Hair and Forced to Wear Israeli Flag During Detention

Activists detained by Israel for participating in a flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza have alleged that Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg was mistreated during her detention, including being forced to wear an Israeli flag.

Two activists, Hazwani Helmi from Malaysia and Windfield Beaver from the U.S., told Reuters that they witnessed Thunberg being shoved and coerced to wear the flag. Another Turkish activist, Ersin Çelik, told Anadolu news agency that Thunberg was dragged by her hair and assaulted. “They dragged little Greta by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others,” he said.

Around 137 activists deported from Israel arrived in Turkey on Saturday. The group included nationals from Turkey, the U.S., UAE, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia, and Jordan.

Claims of Poor Treatment
Activists described being treated “like animals,” with limited access to food, water, and medication, while personal belongings were confiscated. Helmi said detainees endured harsh conditions, and Beaver noted that Thunberg was “used as propaganda” and pushed into a room during the visit of Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Adalah, an Israeli legal aid group assisting flotilla members, said detainees were denied lawyers, adequate food and water, and restroom access. Some were reportedly forced to kneel with zip-tied hands for hours as participants chanted pro-Palestinian slogans.

Swedish Foreign Ministry Concern
An email from the Swedish foreign ministry, reviewed by The Guardian, indicated that Thunberg reported being held in a bedbug-infested cell with insufficient food and water, developing rashes, and sitting for prolonged periods on hard surfaces. Embassy officials were reportedly informed that she had been forced to hold flags for photographs.

Israel Denies Allegations
Israeli authorities have denied all allegations of mistreatment, stating that detainees were provided food, water, access to restrooms, and legal counsel, with all legal rights upheld. The foreign ministry previously described claims of mistreatment as “complete lies.”

Background
The flotilla, which departed in late August, aimed to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, where Israel has been conducting a military campaign following a deadly Hamas attack in October 2023. Israel has repeatedly condemned flotilla attempts as publicity stunts and warned against violating the naval blockade.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed that 26 Italians were on the Turkish Airlines flight carrying deported activists, with another 15 still in Israel awaiting deportation. Some Italian parliamentarians and Jewish participants of the mission described the activists as acting legally, while condemning Israel’s interception of the flotilla.