'Dragged By Hair, Forced To Kiss Israel Flag': Activists Say Greta Thunberg Mistreated In Detention

Last Updated:October 05, 2025, 09:29 IST

Among 137 activists deported from Israel on Saturday, some say Greta Thunberg was mistreated during detention, where she was beaten and forced to kiss an Israeli flag.

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg sits at an unknown location after the Israeli interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla. (Reuters)

Israel on Saturday deported 137 activists, who were detained while taking part in an aid flotilla bound for Gaza. The flotilla activists said they had been subjected to violence and “treated like animals", with two of them alleging shocking mistreatment of Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail last month seeking to ferry aid to war-battered Gaza, but Israel blocked the boats and detained more than 400 people, prompting worldwide protests. At least 137 of them flew into Istanbul on Saturday, 36 of them being Turkish nationals.

Two activists, Hazwani Helmi from Malaysia and Windfield Beaver from the US, told Reuters that they had witnessed Thunberg being mistreated, saying she was shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag.

“It was a disaster. They treated us like animals," said Helmi, 28, while Beaver said Thunberg was “treated terribly" and “used as propaganda", describing how she was pushed into a room as Israel’s far-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived.

Another activist ErsinÇelik said Greta was dragged by her hair and assaulted by forces. “They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] 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 told the Anadolu news agency.

Israel Denies Mistreatment

Other activists also alleged mistreatment and torture at the hands of Israeli officials during detention. “They put us on our knees, facing down. And if we moved, they hit us. They were laughing at us, insulting us and hitting us. They were using both psychological and physical violence," Paolo Romano, a regional councillor from Lombardy in Italy, told AFP.

According to Adalah, an Israeli group offering legal assistance to flotilla members, some detainees were denied access to lawyers, water, medications, and toilets. They were also “forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for at least five hours, after some participants chanted ‘Free Palestine,'" Adalah said.

However, Israel denied the allegations as “complete lies" and said all detained activists were deported safely in good health. “Of course, all detainees … were given access to water, food, and restrooms; they were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights were fully upheld," a foreign ministry spokesperson told Reuters.

A first group of Italians from the flotilla – four parliamentarians – arrived in Rome on Friday. The Israeli interception of the flotilla on international waters sparked worldwide protests, from Europe to Australia and South America.

Around 15,000 people marched through Barcelona in protest at Israel’s actions, according to the municipal police force in Spain’s second city, chanting slogans including “Gaza, you are not alone", “Boycott Israel" and “Freedom for Palestine". Protests were also held in Berlin, The Hague, Tunis, Brasilia and Buenos Aires.

(with inputs from agencies)

News world 'Dragged By Hair, Forced To Kiss Israel Flag': Activists Say Greta Thunberg Mistreated In Detention

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