Environmental activist Greta Thunberg has reported harsh treatment during her detention by Israeli forces, according to correspondence seen by the Guardian. In an email from the Swedish foreign ministry, an official who visited Thunberg in prison said she claimed to be held in a cell infested with bedbugs, with insufficient food and water, leading to dehydration and rashes.
The activist was among 437 people detained after Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza. Thunberg told Swedish officials she was forced to sit on hard surfaces for long periods. Another detainee reportedly said she was forced to hold flags while photographs were taken, though the flags' identity is unknown.
Turkish activist Ersin Çelik alleged Thunberg was dragged by her hair and forced to kiss the Israeli flag. Journalist Lorenzo D'Agostino said she was wrapped in the Israeli flag and paraded like a trophy. The allegations were corroborated by at least two other flotilla members released on Saturday.
Lawyers from the NGO Adalah said detainees' rights were systematically violated, with denial of water, sanitation, medication, and legal access. Italian legal representatives confirmed detainees were left without food or water for hours, except for a packet of crisps given to Thunberg. Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, called the activists 'terrorists' during a visit to Ashdod port.
Thunberg is being held at Ketziot prison in the Negev desert, typically used for Palestinian security prisoners. This is her second arrest in connection with flotilla attempts to break Gaza's blockade.
