Greta Thunberg exposes brutality against activists in Gaza aid mission

Activists from the global Freedom Flotilla, who attempted to provide aid to the people of Gaza and were intercepted by Israeli forces and transferred to Israeli prisons, have exposed dark aspects of their treatment after being expelled from the occupied territories. One of these individuals is Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who has spoken out about the torture she experienced in Israeli detention centers.

Thunberg recounted the harrowing five days she spent in Israeli custody following the humanitarian flotilla’s attempt to deliver aid to Gaza.

Describing beatings, kicks, and threats of being gassed in a cage by Israeli soldiers, Thunberg shared vivid details of her ordeal alongside other participants in the global Freedom Flotilla.

In an interview with the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, she emphasized the dire situation of Gaza’s residents, saying, “This is not just about me or the other flotilla members. Thousands of Palestinians, hundreds of them children, are currently detained without trial, and many are likely being tortured.”

She said the ordeal began when Israeli forces boarded the flotilla boats with automatic weapons.

Thunberg explained that she was forced to sit for long periods in extreme heat while Israeli soldiers tore apart aid packages intended for the people of Gaza, throwing medicines and food into trash bins.

Referring to the psychological toll of deliberate deprivation and mockery, she said: “It was incredibly hot; we kept begging, ‘Can we drink water? Can we drink water?’ Eventually, we had to shout. Soldiers kept walking in front of us, laughing, and holding up their own water bottles.”

Transfer to Israeli ports

The activist said their boat was eventually taken to Ashdod, the largest port in the occupied territories, where the violence escalated.

She described being dragged across an asphalt area and repeatedly beaten. Her hands were tightly bound, and the soldiers lined up for photographs while humiliating her.

Thunberg said, “They dragged me to an asphalt area fenced with metal. While I was hit by the Israeli flag, they beat and kicked me. They removed my hat, threw it on the ground, stomped on it, and insulted me in Swedish. They violently cornered me, saying, ‘A special place for a special lady,’ and then repeated obscene phrases in Swedish.”

Thunberg also described threats and physical harassment by Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s Minister of National Security, who shouted, “You are terrorists. You want to kill Jewish infants,” while others protesting were beaten.

The Swedish activist recounted that Israeli soldiers constantly threatened detainees with gas, forced them to stand or kneel for hours in extreme heat, and confined them in small, crowded cells with minimal food and water. In one cell, detainees were forced to drink brown tap water, causing illness for some.

She said: “They have no empathy or humanity; everything they do is extremely violent. People’s medicines—like heart medications, cancer drugs, and insulin—were thrown away in front of them.”

Thunberg also noted seeing bullet marks and blood stains on prison walls, along with messages from Palestinian prisoners.

However, she emphasized that the focus should remain on Gaza, not on the flotilla participants’ mistreatment, saying, “What we went through is only a very small part of what Palestinians have experienced.”

Stockholm’s inaction

The flotilla, comprising 500 volunteers aged 18 to 78—including teachers, doctors, students, and parliament members—risked separation from their families to protest the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Some participants were Jewish volunteers.

According to Thunberg and other Swedish detainees, the Swedish Foreign Ministry largely failed to assist its detained citizens.

“They did nothing,” Thunberg said. “They just said, ‘Our duty is to listen to you. We are here, and you have the right to consular support.’”

Emails reviewed by Aftonbladet confirm that family members of detainees were given a softened account of events, with crucial details—including the lack of water and medical care—omitted.

Thunberg and other flotilla members plan to submit complaints to the Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsman. Family members and participants criticized the Swedish government for failing to uphold the rights of its citizens.