Greta Thunberg is reportedly among a group of activists set to leave Israel after being detained last week for taking part in a flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza.
According to The Guardian, Thunberg and other activists allege they were mistreated while in Israeli custody following the interception of the 45-vessel Global Sumud Flotilla.
The ships, carrying more than 400 people including politicians, lawyers and campaigners, were stopped by Israeli forces in international waters after attempting to breach the country’s long-standing naval blockade of Gaza.
Officials from several European countries confirmed that their detained nationals would begin returning home from Monday.
Greece and Italy’s foreign ministries told AFP that their citizens would fly from Israel to Athens before travelling on to their home countries. France’s foreign ministry said 28 French nationals were among those being released, while Sweden confirmed nine Swedes would also leave.
Twenty-one Spanish citizens had already returned to Spain on Sunday, though Reuters reports at least 28 other Spanish nationals remain in detention.
Allegations of harsh treatment
Thunberg told Swedish officials she was being held in poor conditions, according to an internal email from Sweden’s foreign ministry seen by The Guardian. The message states the 22-year-old activist reported dehydration, lack of food and water, and suspected bedbug infestations in her cell. She also alleged being forced to hold flags while photos were taken by Israeli officers — though it’s unclear which flags were involved.
Other activists have made similar claims. Turkish journalist and flotilla participant Ersin Çelik told the Anadolu Agency that Thunberg was “dragged by her hair” and “forced to kiss the Israeli flag”, though Israel has denied all allegations of mistreatment. Another participant, Italian journalist Lorenzo D’Agostino, told reporters in Istanbul that she was “wrapped in the Israeli flag and paraded like a trophy”.
An Israeli embassy spokesperson rejected the claims, calling them “complete lies” and insisting all detainees were treated “in accordance with international standards”, with access to food, water, medical care and legal counsel.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry also posted on X denying all claims of mistreatment and alleged that Thunberg prolonged her own stay in custody.
“The claims regarding the mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the Hamas–Sumud flotilla are brazen lies. All the detainees’ legal rights are fully upheld,” the post read.
“Interestingly enough, Greta herself and other detainees refused to expedite their deportation and insisted on prolonging their stay in custody. Greta also did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations – because they never occurred.”
These claims have not been confirmed.
Human rights group Adalah said in a statement that detainees from the flotilla had been “systematically denied” access to lawyers, medication and sanitation during detention, which the group labelled “a clear breach of fundamental rights to due process”.
The majority of those detained are being held at the high-security Ketziot prison in Israel’s Negev desert — a facility typically used for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir referred to the activists as “terrorists” during a visit to Ashdod port last Thursday, as seen in a video verified by local media. He has previously called for the participants to be jailed instead of deported.
Thunberg, who was detained earlier this year during a separate flotilla attempt, reportedly refused to sign a voluntary release form because she did not understand its contents, Swedish officials said.
As of Monday morning local time, hundreds of the detainees are beginning to be flown out of Israel, while several dozen remain in custody awaiting clearance from Israeli authorities.
Lead image: AP News / Israel Foreign Ministry
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