Deported activists allege mistreatment of Greta Thunberg in Israeli custody
On Saturday, 137 activists who were detained by Israel while participating in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, following their deportation. Among them, two — Hazwani Helmi (Malaysia) and Windfield Beaver (USA) — claimed they saw Greta Thunberg being mishandled during detention. They alleged she was shoved and forced to drape herself in an Israeli flag.
At Istanbul Airport, Helmi said, “They treated us like animals. Food, water, medicine were denied. Belongings were confiscated.” Beaver added that Thunberg was “treated terribly” and “used as propaganda,” describing how she was pushed into a room in the presence of Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Israel’s foreign ministry earlier dismissed reports of mistreatment as “complete lies,” and asserted all detainees remained “safe and in good health.” The government has been deporting activists rapidly after intercepting about 40 flotilla vessels and detaining over 450 individuals.
International responses, legal claims, and ongoing deportations
Of the 137 deported activists, 36 were Turkish nationals; others hailed from countries including the USA, UAE, Algeria, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia, and Jordan. Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed 26 Italians were on the deportation flight and 15 more remained in Israel awaiting expulsion. He instructed the Italian embassy in Tel Aviv to ensure their fair treatment.
Earlier, four Italian parliamentarians were among the first to arrive in Rome, denouncing their detention as brutal. Benedetta Scuderi described her experience as being “brutally taken hostage”.
Legal group Adalah, which supports flotilla detainees, accused Israeli authorities of denying some activists access to lawyers, withholding water and medications, and forcing many to kneel for five hours with hands zip-tied while shouting slogans like “Free Palestine”.
Israel’s foreign ministry said it aimed to complete deportations quickly. The latest claims regarding Thunberg’s treatment add to ongoing controversies over the handling of the flotilla detainees.
