Nabil Luqman

0f9d2dd4f71434084e2b6094de1865e23abb37bb9f28ca51feeabee679ec9be2

Social

Palestine

Israel

inhumane

outcry

Greta Thunberg

detained

Global Sumud Flotilla

Hazwani Helmi

A humanitarian flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza has ended in a storm of controversy, with Israel facing mounting accusations of mistreatment towards detained activists. Among those held was Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, whose alleged humiliation while in custody has drawn worldwide attention.
More than 450 activists from over 20 countries were detained after Israeli naval forces intercepted around 40 vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla in late September. The mission, launched in August, sought to break Israel&rsquo;s 16-year blockade on Gaza and open a humanitarian corridor for its 2.3 million residents.
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/d259a425975a7834be6ffb66b93b928f73813e1057696a5fbfb67a2a51560ddb" />
On 4 October, 137 deported activists, including citizens from Malaysia, Turkey, the United States, Italy, Switzerland, Tunisia, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Kuwait, Mauritania, and the UAE, arrived in Istanbul to share harrowing accounts of their detention.
Allegations of degrading treatment
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/e9bcd446a9d6eb84f54f64ca4358d95008a0d52c95d94f443def7174b1542d47" />
Malaysian activist Hazwani Helmi, 28, described the ordeal as &ldquo;a disaster,&rdquo; saying detainees were &ldquo;treated like animals.&rdquo; She alleged that Israeli forces denied them food, water, access to toilets, and confiscated essential medicines. &ldquo;They threw our bags away, which contained medicines,&rdquo; she said.
Helmi and others claimed Thunberg was shoved, paraded with an Israeli flag, and &ldquo;exhibited like a trophy.&rdquo; American participant Windfield Beaver, 43, echoed the accounts, stating that she was &ldquo;treated terribly&rdquo; and &ldquo;used as propaganda.&rdquo; He recalled witnessing her pushed into a room as far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered.
Turkish journalist Ersin &Ccedil;elik went further, alleging that Thunberg was &ldquo;dragged on the ground&rdquo; and &ldquo;forced to kiss the Israeli flag.&rdquo; Another detainee, Italian journalist Lorenzo D&rsquo;Agostino, repeated the claim, adding that she was humiliated publicly as a warning to others.
Turkish presenter Ikbal G&uuml;rpınar said detainees were left without food and clean water for three days, forcing some to drink from toilets. &ldquo;They treated us like dogs,&rdquo; she said. Others described being blindfolded, kept in freezing vehicles, and zip-tied for hours.
Inside detention: &lsquo;a cell infested with bedbugs&rsquo;
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/9621e1420851f276ea5df930651f21cbf78a1c2431f3ab5142ae536ff51dd628" />
Correspondence from the Swedish foreign ministry, reported by The Guardian, revealed further troubling claims. Thunberg allegedly told embassy officials she had been held in a cell infested with bedbugs, given insufficient food and water, and forced to sit for long periods on hard surfaces.
She also said she had developed rashes likely caused by the unhygienic conditions. Another detainee reportedly informed diplomats that Thunberg was photographed while being forced to hold unidentified flags.
Italian participants corroborated the accounts, with parliamentarian Benedetta Scuderi describing activists as &ldquo;brutally stopped&rdquo; and &ldquo;brutally taken hostage.&rdquo;
International reaction and diplomatic pressure
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/047acb58915e35e26993afe8f65914f840e742953749ef442173ac6c443c0a40" /> From Left: Antonio Tajani and Arturo Scotto
The treatment of detainees has sparked condemnation across Europe. Italy&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed that 26 Italians had been deported while 15 remained in Israeli custody. He said he instructed the Italian embassy in Tel Aviv to ensure their rights were respected.
Italian MP Arturo Scotto, who was part of the flotilla, criticised Israel&rsquo;s actions: &ldquo;Those who were acting legally were the people aboard those boats; those who acted illegally were those who prevented them from reaching Gaza.&rdquo;
The Turkish foreign ministry, which received the largest group of deportees, also voiced concern, while lawyers from the Israeli rights group Adalah accused Israel of systematically violating detainees&rsquo; rights, including denial of medication, legal representation, and sanitation.
Israel strongly denies abuse claims
&nbsp;<img src="https://r2.myc.my/ae925106068af769c55caf9458214d1f63c7abec7123c7d3b4bd5b41f7216630" />
Israel has firmly rejected all allegations. Its Foreign Ministry dismissed reports of mistreatment as &ldquo;complete lies,&rdquo; insisting detainees were given food, water, restrooms, and full legal rights.
In a statement on X, it said all activists were &ldquo;safe and in good health&rdquo; and blamed some flotilla members for &ldquo;deliberately obstructing&rdquo; their deportations. It further argued that the flotilla was a political stunt serving Hamas rather than a genuine humanitarian mission.
National Security Minister Ben-Gvir openly praised prison authorities, calling the detainees &ldquo;terror supporters.&rdquo; &ldquo;Whoever supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists,&rdquo; he declared, adding that he personally witnessed &ldquo;no aid and no humanitarianism&rdquo; on the boats.
A history of flotilla confrontations
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/7d1a4a91eebca458c4105901019e21642fc385d69578357e2d5a74e1d8badfc6" />
The Global Sumud Flotilla is the latest in a series of activist-led attempts to challenge Israel&rsquo;s naval blockade, imposed in 2009. Israel argues the blockade is legal under international law and necessary to prevent weapons smuggling into Gaza, where Hamas remains in control.
Critics, however, say the blockade amounts to collective punishment, deepening Gaza&rsquo;s humanitarian crisis. Previous flotillas have also ended in arrests and deportations, though activists insist their missions are peaceful.
Thunberg, who had taken part in a similar flotilla earlier this year, had already been banned from Israel for 100 years following her participation in anti-blockade efforts.
Mounting scrutiny on Israel&rsquo;s handling of detainees
The conflicting accounts have left the international community divided. Supporters of the activists say the testimonies highlight Israel&rsquo;s increasingly hardline stance, particularly under far-right ministers. Israeli officials counter that the flotilla was a provocation designed to delegitimise its security policies.
For Thunberg, the episode has added another chapter to her activism, extending her environmental platform to outspoken support for Palestinian rights. At just 22, she has become an unexpected symbol in the long-running debate over Israel&rsquo;s blockade, sparking further debate about how far international solidarity movements can go in challenging state power.
What happens next?
As deportations continue, rights groups are urging independent investigations into the treatment of detainees. Sweden has pressed Israel to guarantee its citizens&rsquo; welfare, while Italian and Turkish officials continue to demand accountability.
Meanwhile, activists such as Hazwani Helmi say the experience has only strengthened their resolve. &ldquo;The world needs to know how cruel the Israeli forces are,&rdquo; she said in Istanbul. &ldquo;We went there to deliver aid, but instead we were treated as criminals. We won&rsquo;t stop speaking the truth.&rdquo;
For Israel, the incident underscores its tightening grip over Gaza&rsquo;s access points, but also raises questions about how much longer such tactics can withstand growing global scrutiny.
&nbsp;
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media &amp; various cross-references for context.
FOMO much? Follow our&nbsp;<a style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://www.facebook.com/mycclub/">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://www.instagram.com/myc_news/?hl=en">Instagram</a>&nbsp;for more updates.

Hazwani Helmi alleges that many detainees were subjected to inhumane treatment during detention.

89e151e37f563df340c5797a3d24fc0764d622372c3f815985140c78b581a6be

Greta Thunberg Among Gaza Flotilla Detainees: Allegations Of Abuse Spark Global Outcry

9621255847abc97937372c8dc13279f044806beb1dd21709fd1553c490afe2dd

BIllie Eilish UMMY

68a82e6c9f051320f59a2422cff4e97a9ca5d2176dd28f2a5dcebda8b97b2171

Coke Fifa

38941b1bac42da64a02a23ecc8eb6222efa97c70765b23b6219aa575309b69db

UMMY Sienna Spiro

83825a877c75953ebff3be1a2ab43cd2012f89a4df7cbd22db7ff7c05598b510

Pizza hut Meltz 2026

Greta Thunberg Among Gaza Flotilla Detainees: Allegations Of Abuse Spark Global Outcry

Hazwani Helmi alleges that many detainees were subjected to inhumane treatment during detention.

Latest News

Former NCT Star Mark Launches Independent Label Upper Room Following SM Entertainment Exit

BTS Ticket Frenzy Sweeps Malaysia As Millions Join Online Queues For Kuala Lumpur Concerts

High Court Orders Cambridge PhD Dropout And Three Guarantors To Repay RM857,000 MARA Loan

Malaysia Officially Introduces 10-Year Passport Validity With New RM350 Fee Structure

Pokémon Announces Massive Asia-Wide 30th Anniversary Celebration, With Malaysia Among Key Host Cities

Related Articles

Former NCT Star Mark Launches Independent Label Upper Room Following SM Entertainment Exit

BTS Ticket Frenzy Sweeps Malaysia As Millions Join Online Queues For Kuala Lumpur Concerts

High Court Orders Cambridge PhD Dropout And Three Guarantors To Repay RM857,000 MARA Loan

Malaysia Officially Introduces 10-Year Passport Validity With New RM350 Fee Structure

Pokémon Announces Massive Asia-Wide 30th Anniversary Celebration, With Malaysia Among Key Host Cities

Related Articles

Former NCT Star Mark Launches Independent Label Upper Room Following SM Entertainment Exit

BTS Ticket Frenzy Sweeps Malaysia As Millions Join Online Queues For Kuala Lumpur Concerts

High Court Orders Cambridge PhD Dropout And Three Guarantors To Repay RM857,000 MARA Loan

Malaysia Officially Introduces 10-Year Passport Validity With New RM350 Fee Structure

Pokémon Announces Massive Asia-Wide 30th Anniversary Celebration, With Malaysia Among Key Host Cities