Ashdod: Famed Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has detailed the five harrowing days she spent in Israeli custody following an attempt by a humanitarian flotilla to deliver aid to Gaza.
According to Anadolu Agency, Thunberg described Israeli forces 'beating, kicking, and threats of being gassed in cages,' as she shared vivid details of her ordeal alongside other Swedish participants in the Global Sumud aid flotilla. This flotilla aimed to break Israel's longstanding blockade of humanitarian food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip.
The ordeal began when masked Israeli soldiers with automatic weapons boarded the flotilla boats, Thunberg recounted. She described being forced to sit in sweltering heat while soldiers rifled through supplies, discarding medicines and food. The psychological toll was exacerbated by deliberate deprivation and mockery, as guards flaunted their water bottles while the detainees were denied water.
The activist said the boat was eventually taken to Ashdod, where the violence intensified. She recalled being dragged across a paved area, with an Israeli flag pressed against her, and being repeatedly kicked. Guards took selfies with her while she sat humiliated, her hands tightly bound.
Thunberg also described threats and physical abuse from far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who accused the detainees of terrorism and incited violence against them.
The guards regularly threatened detainees with gas, forced them to endure extreme heat, and confined them in overcrowded cells with limited food and water. Thunberg noted the presence of bullet holes and bloodstains on prison walls, underscoring the violent environment.
Despite her own ordeal, Thunberg emphasized that the focus should remain on the broader plight of Gaza's residents. She highlighted that what she and the flotilla experienced was just a fraction of what Palestinians endure daily.
The flotilla comprised 500 volunteers, including teachers, doctors, students, and parliamentarians, who risked familial estrangement to protest Gaza's humanitarian crisis. Thunberg criticized the Swedish Foreign Ministry for failing to adequately support its detained citizens, noting that relatives received softened accounts of the events.
Thunberg and other flotilla members plan to file complaints with the Parliamentary Ombudsman, criticizing the government for not upholding the rights of Swedish citizens detained abroad.