ALWAGHT- Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg alleges that she and fellow members of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla were mistreated and tortured in Israeli prisons following their capture by the regime’s naval forces in international waters.
At a press conference in Stockholm, Greta Thunberg stated that she and other activists aboard the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla were “kidnapped and tortured” by Israeli forces after being captured in international waters. She refrained from sharing personal details, citing her wish to keep the focus on the suffering of Gaza’s residents. Thunberg described poor detention conditions, including lack of clean water and critical medicine, and criticized Sweden’s limited response during her imprisonment.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, a coalition of over 50 vessels, set out from Barcelona to deliver aid to Gaza and protest what human rights organizations call one of the world’s harshest blockades. Israeli naval forces intercepted the flotilla near Gaza’s coast, seizing more than 40 boats and detaining hundreds of activists. Israel dismissed the effort as a publicity stunt serving Hamas and expelled Thunberg and other detainees days later.
Another activist, David Adler, a Jewish American and co-coordinator of Progressive International, recounted severe mistreatment in Israeli custody. He said detainees were beaten, deprived of food and medicine, zip-tied, blindfolded, and transported to Ketziot Prison in the Negev Desert. Adler described scenes of humiliation, such as activists being forced into submission and paraded for photos with far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who mocked them and called them “terrorists.”
According to Adler, detainees endured psychological torture for five days, including solitary confinement, attacks with riot gear and dogs, and denial of medical care. He said the activists’ belongings were confiscated and that detained Americans received no consular assistance. Adler characterized the ordeal as a “Ben Gvir-Trumpian nightmare,” condemning the Israeli government’s actions as a violation of international humanitarian law and an attempt to silence those seeking to deliver aid to Gaza.