On October 6, "environmental girl" Greta Thunberg was expelled from Israel along with several other members of the Gaza Flotilla, who were brutally abused by the IDF during their detention.
At the end of August 2025, the Global Sumud Flotilla, a large fleet of more than 40 civilian vessels carrying around 500 activists, lawmakers, lawyers and journalists, will be deployed from across Europe to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, devastated by the blockade and war.
The supplies carried by the fleet included infant formula, flour, rice, diapers, menstrual products, water desalination equipment, medical supplies, crutches and children's prosthetics.
The flotilla is seen as a direct challenge to Israel's 16-year naval blockade of Gaza.
As an iconic figure of the fleet, Tombéry boarded the leading ship "Alma" on August 31 from the port of Catania in Sicily, Italy, wearing a green T-shirt and waving hands with Brazilian activist Thiago Avila.
After the crew has gathered from the port of Sidi Boseide in Tunisia, it has crossed the Mediterranean to reach the international waters about 70 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza.
At 8 p.m. on October 1st, the “Alma” was sailing about 70 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza, where Greta Thunberg sat around with dozens of activists to discuss aid distribution plans. Suddenly, an Israeli naval vessel approached, and the speaker repeatedly warned: “Return immediately, otherwise the ship will be boarded.”
But the Israeli army sees this as an "invasion of the blockade zone" and the operation is rapid.
The first wave of interceptions began with helicopters. Armed soldiers wore helmets, tactical masks and slid down from ropes to deck. The flotilla video showed about 20 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers armed with automatic rifles, shields and tear sprayers pouring in, shouting, "Hands up, sit down!" Activists, including Thunberg, obeyed instructions and sat in the middle of the deck.
The soldiers quickly controlled the rudder and cut off communication. Tunberry sat next to a soldier who handed her a bottle of water and a raincoat. She whispered: "Thank you, but this is not the end."
The arrests lasted about 45 minutes. Soldiers searched each other, confiscated mobile phones, cameras and passports. Witnesses described the soldier’s wristband with handcuffs, acting roughly, and someone being pushed down. Tombéry was taken alone to the boat cabin, and the soldier inspected her accompanying items, including diaries and environmental badges.
The boat was towed toward the port of Ashdod (40 kilometers from Tel Aviv, Israel's largest port) as soldiers broadcast footage of Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack in an attempt to "educate" captives. Thunberg closed his eyes and refused to watch.
Upon arrival, activists were disembarked, blindfolded and handcuffed, and crammed into buses by soldiers. Thunberg was separated from the other women, and the soldiers laughed and shouted at her, "Welcome to Israel, environmental princess." The bus headed for Ketziot prison (also known as Ansar III) in the Negev desert, which usually houses Palestinian prisoners accused of terrorist activities.
After entering the prison, the processing procedure begins. Activists were brought into the search room and undressed for inspection. Thunberg reported that female soldiers forced her to stand for hours and check personal belongings. Lorenzo D 'Agostino, an Italian journalist who accompanied the ship, witnessed: "They were particularly rude to her, pulling her hair to check her scalp." This was followed by identity registration, in which soldiers entered passport data, accused them of "illegal entry" and asked them to sign voluntary repatriation papers, but Thunberg refused to sign them, insisting that "we were kidnapped in international waters".
The detention began in the early morning of October 2 and most were imprisoned in the temporary detention area of the prison, where the cement cage was narrow, the floor frozen, no beds. Tobey and other women were pressed into a cell for 10 people, the air was humid, and the walls were covered with dirt. Witnesses said that this was the prison's "dog room area", originally used for military dogs.
In prison, as an iconic figure, Tonberg suffered special abuse from Israelis.
Turkish activist Ersin Celik described: "In front of our eyes, they dragged little Greta by her hair, beat her, forced her to pro-Israel flag. They did everything imaginable to her as a warning to others." He said that the soldiers laughed and pinned Thunberg to the ground, her hair was pulled, and she cried but no one responded. Celik added: "They tied her hands and forced her to crawl like an animal."
Malaysian activist Hazwani Helmi confirmed: “She was kicked off and soldiers wore the Israeli flag on her back and took a photo alongside.
The Swiss group Freedom Wave said Israeli servicemen shouted outside Thunberg's room throughout the night to prevent her from falling asleep.
Several women a shortage of monthly supplies, poor cell hygiene, leading to infections.
On October 3, a Swedish embassy official visited Brisbane, where she to Sweden: "Dehydration is severe, water and food is insufficient. Sitting on a hard surface for too long, the cell has insects, and I have rashes."Another detainee told the Swedish embassy: "I saw her being forced to take a photo with a flag, and she was worried that the photo was being spread."
The Israelis also tried to bring them to their knees by starvation.
Tumberi said the prison provided only “a very small amount of food”, a daily meal of peanuts and bread, no vegetables.Hermie said, “Three days no food was given to us, and also forced us to drink toilet water.”
On the 4th, Israeli National Security Minister Ben-Gwier visited Tonberg and other detained activists in prison, saying that he was "proud of their conditions in Keiziot and let them understand the consequences of invading Israel." He also said activists "should be treated like terrorists."
The Israeli Foreign Ministry denies abuse of Thunberg: "All allegations of abuse are lies. The rights of detainees are fully guaranteed." They say Thunberg did not complain to the authorities and refused speedy repatriation, choosing to extend his detention. Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said: "It's not a prison, it's detention. We provide quite comfortable and convenient, and is being supervised."
After the arrest of Tombayri, countries reacted vigorously.
Turkey condemned the interception as an “act of terrorism,” the Greek foreign minister “strongly protested in writing” and accused Israel of unacceptable behavior, while the Spanish government said activists were “repeatedly physically and mentally abused” and demanded an investigation.
In Tumberg's native Sweden, protesters gathered in Stockholm, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Release Greta." Opposition lawmakers called for a parliamentary debate, saying "Israel violated international law." Tunberg supporters launched a petition, collected more than 10,000 signatures, calling on the government to pressure stop arms sales to Israel. The Green Party leader said: "Greta is a symbol of peace, and her encounter exposes the Gaza crisis."
On the morning of October 6, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Greta Tumberg and 170 members of the global Sumud flotilla took off from Ramon International Airport and were deported to Greece and Slovakia.
Tunberry, wearing gray prison uniforms and a scarf over his shoulders, walked among the armed guards with a serious expression. After arriving at the Greek airport, she was greeted by a cheering crowd who shouted "Free Palestine."
After disembarking, Tombayri told the media: “A genocide has occurred in front of us and no one can say it is unknown.Our government has not done even the minimum.I never understood how mankind can be so evil and starve the people of Gaza.The fleet is the subsidy when our government fails.”
Tumberg plans to return to Stockholm via France, and she has not ruled out traveling to Gaza again.
Fortunately, Israel had to release her because of Tot-Beri’s reputation, otherwise it was likely that she would “die in the hands of Hamas in a credible way.” Those who were less famous, however, were tragic.At present, the Israeli Defense Army has killed 237 international journalists, more than all the allied journalists killed in the Second World War combined.
Greta's image in China is not good. Many people don't care about her environmental protection concepts and call her a representative of the white left.
But at the age of 22, this is the second time she tried to enter Gaza, and was arrested and imprisoned by Israelis for the second time. She practiced her ideas with actions that were not afraid of death, making this rescue operation a global protest against Israel. She has also transformed from an environmentally friendly girl to an international symbol of aid to Gaza.
The future of the world still belongs to young people.