‘Brazen lies’: Israel denies claims on mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and other flotilla activists

Amid widespread criticism, the Israeli Foreign Ministry on Sunday (October 5, 2025) dismissed claims that Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the Hamas–Sumud flotilla were mistreated, calling the allegations “brazen lies.”

In a statement, the ministry said all detainees’ legal rights were “fully upheld” while in custody, and that Thunberg or others had not filed any credible complaints about their treatment.

“The claims regarding the mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the Hamas–Sumud flotilla are brazen lies. All the detainees’ legal rights are fully upheld,” the statement read.

The ministry also said Thunberg and other activists had refused to speed up their deportation, choosing instead to remain in custody longer. “Interestingly enough, Greta herself and other detainees refused to expedite their deportation and insisted on prolonging their stay in custody,” it added. “Greta also did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations – because they never occurred.”

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However, two activists, Hazwani Helmi from Malaysia and Windfield Beaver from the US, told Reuters they witnessed Thunberg being mistreated, saying she was shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag.

“It was a disaster. They treated us like animals,” said Helmi, 28. Beaver added that Thunberg was “treated terribly” and “used as propaganda,” describing how she was pushed into a room when Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, arrived.