Climate activist Greta Thunberg has informed Swedish authorities that she had been subjected to harsh treatment while in Israeli custody after she was detained and removed from a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, The Guardian reported on Saturday. An email sent by the Swedish foreign ministry to Thunberg’s close associates states that an official, who visited the environmental activist in prison, said she claimed she was detained in a prison cell which has been infested with bedbugs and she was provided with very little food and water, Guardian’s report added. The email by Swedish authorities states, “The embassy has been able to meet with Greta. She informed of dehydration. She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food. She also stated that she had developed rashes which she suspects were caused by bedbugs.” The correspondence further adds that Thunberg reported of harsh treatments and that she had been sitting on hard surfaces for a longer duration. A detainee claimed that Thunberg was "forced to hold flags" while her pictures were taken. The detainee added that Thunberg wondered if her images had been distributed, the Swedish ministry official said. The claim was corroborated by two other members of the Gaza flotilla, who were detained by Israeli forces and later released on Saturday. A Turkish activist ErsinÇelik, who was also a participant in the Sumud flotilla that was carrying aid for Gaza, told Anadolu news agency: “They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others.” The Israeli forces on Friday intercepted all the boats and arrested 437 activists, parliamentarians and lawyers, including activist Greta Thunberg who were part of the Global Sumud flotilla, a coalition of over 40 boats that were carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza with an aim to breach Israel’s 16-year old maritime blockade.
