Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was arrested after taking part in the “Sumud” flotilla to Gaza, has claimed to Swedish officials who visited her in detention in Israel that she was subjected to harsh conditions, the *Guardian* reported.
According to the report, Thunberg was arrested for the second time after attempting to “break the blockade on Gaza.” She is said to be held in a cell infested with bedbugs, with limited food and water.
Swedish sources who claimed to have visited her said Thunberg suffered from dehydration, rash, and weakness, which she attributed to the poor conditions in her cell. Another detainee reportedly told diplomatic representatives she saw Thunberg being held while holding Israeli flags.
Turkish activist Ersin Çelik, who also participated in the flotilla, told the Anadolu news agency: “They dragged Greta by her hair in front of our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They made her crawl. They did everything imaginable to her as a warning to others because she was a public figure. In other words, they did exactly what the Nazis did.”
Another activist, who claimed he was deported to Israel after being arrested, said: “She was wrapped in an Israeli flag and displayed like a trophy.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir responded to the allegations, saying they were “terror operatives disguised as human rights activists.”
“This morning I see the international media reports about the so-called harsh conditions in which Greta Thunberg and the ‘flotilla activists’ are being held, and I want to be absolutely clear: I am proud of the men and women of the Israel Prison Service who acted in accordance with the policy set by Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi and myself,” Ben-Gvir said.
“I was there, on their ships. I didn’t see humanitarian aid or compassion. I saw one container of baby formula and a ship full of people pretending to be human rights activists, who in fact came to support terrorism and celebrate against us,” he added.
Ben-Gvir continued: “I visited Ketziot Prison and was proud that we treat the flotilla participants as terrorist supporters. Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves to be treated as one. If any of them thought they’d get a red carpet and fanfare, they were mistaken.”
The minister concluded: “They should feel the full conditions at Ketziot Prison and think twice before coming near Israel again. That’s how it works.”
The Foreign Ministry also responded on its official X account: “Claims of abuse against Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the Hamas-Sumud flotilla are blatant lies. All detainees’ legal rights were fully respected. Interestingly, Greta and others even insisted on extending their detention. Greta herself never filed any complaint with Israeli authorities regarding these absurd, baseless accusations—because they never happened.”