Stockholm, MINA – Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has described the five difficult days she spent in Israeli detention earlier this month, following her participation in the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian mission that tried to deliver aid to Gaza, Anadolu Agency reported.
Speaking to the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, Thunberg said Israeli soldiers beat, kicked, and threatened to gas detainees after intercepting the flotilla in international waters.
She said that what she and others went through was only a small part of what Palestinians experience daily, noting that thousands of Palestinians, including children, are being held without trial and likely tortured.
Thunberg recounted that armed and masked Israeli soldiers boarded the boats and forced the passengers to sit in the heat while they threw away food and medical supplies.
Also Read: Pakistan, Afghanistan Agree to 48-Hour Border Ceasefire after Deadly Clashes
When the flotilla was brought to the Israeli port of Ashdod, she was dragged across a paved area while an Israeli flag was pressed against her face. Guards kicked her, tore off her frog-shaped hat, and shouted insults in Swedish.
“They moved me very brutally to a corner and said: ‘A special place for a special lady.’ Then they started shouting ‘Lilla hora’ and ‘Hora Greta’ in Swedish,” Thunberg said.
She also claimed that Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the detainees terrorists and accused them of wanting to kill Jewish babies.
Thunberg said the guards forced prisoners to kneel or stand for long hours in the heat and deprived them of water. Some detainees were forced to drink brown tap water that made them sick.
Also Read: Trump Announces Start of Phase Two in Gaza Ceasefire Deal
She also said the guards threw away people’s essential medicines such as insulin, heart, and cancer medication, and she saw bullet holes and bloodstains on the prison walls.
The activist emphasized that her experience should not distract from Gaza’s suffering, saying that what she endured was minor compared to what Palestinians face every day under Israeli occupation.
Thunberg and other flotilla members also criticized the Swedish Foreign Ministry for failing to help during their detention. She said the ministry only told them they were entitled to consular support but took no action.
Emails reviewed by Aftonbladet showed that the ministry provided families of detainees with softened reports, omitting details such as lack of water and medical care.
Also Read: Afghan FM: Afghanistan Has Good Relations with All Neighbors, Except One
The Global Sumud Flotilla consisted of around 500 volunteers aged between 18 and 78, including teachers, doctors, students, and lawmakers from various countries. Many participants were Jewish activists who joined to protest Israel’s blockade on Gaza.
Thunberg and other detainees said they plan to file official complaints with Sweden’s Parliamentary Ombudsman against the government’s inaction.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
Also Read: Indonesian Citizens Build Indonesian Mosque in Chiba, Japan
Mina Indonesia
Mina Arabic
Mina Sport