Greta Thunberg has spoken publicly for the first time about what she describes as “torture” during five days in Israeli custody after naval forces intercepted the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla this month, alleging beatings, humiliation and threats while under guard and saying she avoided describing details earlier to keep focus on Gaza rather than her own treatment. Appearing in Stockholm and in an interview with Sweden’s Aftonbladet, the 22-year-old climate campaigner said she and others were “kidnapped and tortured” after soldiers boarded their boats on 1 October, and that detainees were deprived of clean water and medication. Israel has rejected allegations of abuse, saying detainees were treated lawfully and that the flotilla was a political stunt seeking to breach a wartime naval blockade.
Thunberg was among hundreds held after Israeli naval and commando units halted the civilian convoy about 75 miles from Gaza’s coast and escorted the vessels to Ashdod. The flotilla’s organisers said more than 40 boats carried roughly 450–500 participants, including parliamentarians, legal observers and medical personnel; Israel said the mission violated the blockade and offered to channel cargo via official crossings. Video distributed by international outlets showed troops boarding and detaining activists, with a later image sequence documenting Thunberg’s transfer into custody ahead of processing by immigration authorities.
In remarks in central Stockholm on 7 October and in subsequent interviews, Thunberg declined to provide a full chronology but gave specific examples of alleged mistreatment: “Blows to my back, blows to my head – and they [the Israeli soldiers] laughed,” she said, adding that she and others were zip-tied, forced to kneel for hours and denied potable water. “This is not about me or the others from the flotilla,” she told Aftonbladet, arguing that any attention should remain on Palestinians in detention and civilians under bombardment. “There are thousands of Palestinians, hundreds of whom are children, who are being held without trial right now, and many of them are most likely being tortured.”
Israel’s foreign ministry and officials managing detainee processing have dismissed the allegations as “complete lies,” saying those held were provided food, water, restrooms and legal access in line with Israeli law. Authorities said the flotilla sought to aid Hamas and that any force used during interdiction and detention was proportionate. In statements reported by local and international media, officials said deportations began within days; by 6 October, plane- and busloads of detainees had been moved to Greece, Slovakia and Turkey under immigration orders.