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Global Sumud Flotilla activists accuse Israel of ABUSING Greta Thunberg

By ramontomeydw // 2025-10-07

• Activists from the Gaza-bound Sumud Flotilla accuse Israel of brutal treatment – including forced kneeling, psychological intimidation, withholding medicine and sleep deprivation – directly contradicting Tel Aviv's claims of a "humane" operation.
• Witnesses allege Israeli forces dragged Greta Thunberg by her hair, beat her, forced her to kiss the Israeli flag and displayed her "like a trophy" wrapped in the flag during a visit by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
• Officials dismiss all allegations as "complete lies," insisting detainees had access to basic needs. Ben-Gvir defended the harsh treatment, calling activists "supporters of terrorism" who deserved prison conditions meant for terrorists.
• Turkey, Colombia, Greece and Sweden issued protests, drawing parallels to Israel's deadly 2010 flotilla raid. Activists say their detention mirrored Gaza's suffering under blockade, now nearing famine.
• The incident reflects the polarized narratives around Gaza: humanitarian aid vs. accusations of terrorism support, with Israel using propaganda (e.g., forcing detainees to watch Hamas attack footage) to justify its blockade.

Activists who took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla headed for the blockaded Gaza Strip have accused Israel of abusing climate campaigner Greta Thunberg while in custody. The activists, who were initially arrested by Israeli naval forces before being released, described systematic humiliation and abuse. Their testimony of brutal and degrading treatment from authorities of the Jewish-majority nation directly contradicted Israeli officials' portrayal of a lawful and humane operation. "This is called torture. It's called torture, a denial of human rights, even the most basic ones," said Italian journalist Saverio Tomassi during his return to Rome late Saturday, Oct. 4. He and others reported that guards withheld critical medicines from detainees, including those for heart disease and asthma, and subjected them to psychological intimidation. The accounts describe detainees being forced to kneel for hours with their hands zip-tied, being intimidated by soldiers with dogs and laser sights and being repeatedly woken during the night. Italian journalist Lorenzo D'Agostino summarized his experience upon landing in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Saturday, Oct. 4: "Overall, I felt I was being held by a terrorist organization." Central to the controversy are specific and repeated allegations concerning the treatment of Thunberg. Multiple fellow detainees, including Turkish journalist Ersin Celik, have come forward with disturbing claims. Celik stated he witnessed Israeli forces drag Thunberg "by her hair," beat her and force her "to kiss the Israeli flag." Others including Malaysian Hazwani Helmi and American activist Windfield Beaver alleged she was "wrapped in an Israeli flag and exhibited like a trophy" – particularly during a visit by Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir at the Ketziot Prison in the Negev Desert, where most of the activists were detained.

How Israel criminalizes compassion for Gaza

The Israeli government has vehemently denied all allegations. A spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Reuters that the claims were "complete lies." They asserted that all detainees were given access to water, food and restrooms and that their legal rights were "fully upheld." Ben-Gvir defended the prison staff's conduct. "I was proud that we treat the 'flotilla activists' as supporters of terrorism," he said. "Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists." The far-right minister added that the activists should "get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot Prison and think twice before they approach Israel again." According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, the actions of Ben-Gvir "align with the globalist-backed Zionist agenda of ethnic cleansing and depopulation, using false flags and propaganda to manipulate public perception and advance Israel's expansionist goals." The international fallout has ben swift: Governments from Turkey to Colombia and Greece have issued formal protests. The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed it was acting "intensively" to ensure its citizens' rights were observed. The incident evokes historical parallels to the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid, where Israeli commandos killed nine activists aboard the Mavi Marmara – suggesting a recurring pattern of lethal and non-lethal force against civilian-led attempts to challenge the naval blockade. According to many of the activists, the ordeal gave them a "better understanding of Gaza." But their arrest at the hands of Israeli forces was a microcosm of the larger suffering endured by Gaza's 2.3 million residents under a blockade that has pushed the territory to the brink of famine. As the last of the detained activists are deported, the conflicting narratives leave a deeply polarized picture. On one side, released detainees provide harrowing, consistent testimonies of mistreatment aimed at Thunberg as a symbolic act of intimidation. On the other, the Israeli government dismisses these accounts as propaganda from Hamas sympathizers. Ultimately, the dispute transcends the immediate fate of the flotilla. It serves as a potent symbol of the wider information war over Gaza, where claims of humanitarian intent are met with accusations of supporting terrorism. Watch this clip of Greta Thunberg announcing the June departure of the Global Sumud Flotilla toward the Gaza Strip. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com Independent.co.uk AlJazeera.com Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com

terrorism Israel evil twisted human rights intolerance Hamas activists detention abuse outrage enslaved greta thunberg Gaza Strip Israel-Palestine war Itamar Ben Gvir Global Sumud Flotilla Ketziot Prison Saverio Tomassi Lorenzo D'Agostino Ersin Celik Hazwani Helmi Windfield Beaver