Greta Thunberg. Image source: (X/@IsraelMFA)
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has alleged that she was assaulted and humiliated by Israeli authorities after her boat was intercepted while attempting to deliver aid to Gaza as part of the “Global Sumud Flotilla.” The 22-year-old said the incident exposed the harsh treatment Palestinians face daily.
The flotilla, a 42-boat convoy carrying emergency supplies, was stopped by Israeli forces after nearly 20 hours at sea. Thunberg said masked soldiers armed with automatic weapons stormed her vessel, tearing through belongings and shouting at passengers. “Those who weren’t guarding us walked around the boat, throwing everything around,” she recalled. The raid was streamed live and watched by thousands around the world.
After being taken to Ashdod port, Thunberg said she and other people, a group of about 500 teachers, doctors, students, and parliamentarians aged 18 to 78, were detained and mistreated. “Men with covered faces dragged me to a fenced-off area where dozens were forced to kneel for hours. Anyone who looked up was knocked back down,” she said.
The activist claimed her red suitcase, seized during the raid, was later returned. “The bag was taken by the Israeli military and came back like this. They’re like five-year-olds,” she told Swedish outlet Aftonbladet.
Thunberg also said far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir appeared at the detention site, shouting insults at detainees. “Anyone who shouted back was dragged away and beaten. Every time I lifted my head, I got kicked,” she alleged.
Speaking from her Stockholm apartment after being released, Thunberg said the experience was not about her but about what Palestinians endure daily. “If Israel, with the whole world watching, can treat a white person with a Swedish passport like this, imagine what they do to Palestinians behind closed doors,” she said.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
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