Share to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeSwedish activist Greta Thunberg in Israeli detention after the IDF intercepted the vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla aiming to reach Gaza, Thursday. Credit: Israel's Foreign Ministry/ReutersSwedish activist Greta Thunberg in Israeli detention after the IDF intercepted the vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla aiming to reach Gaza, Thursday. Credit: Israel's Foreign Ministry/ReutersOctober 04, 2025Prominent climate activist Greta Thunberg told Swedish officials she was being held under harsh conditions in Israel following her participation in an aid flotilla to Gaza and subsequent detention, The Guardian reported on Saturday. Sweden's Foreign Ministry reportedly sent an email to Thunberg's family, noting officials had met with the 22-year-old while held in custody. The correspondence was seen by The Guardian, the report said. "She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food," the email reportedly read, adding she was dehydrated. "She also stated that she had developed rashes, which she suspects were caused by bedbugs. She spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces."Haaretz Podcast'Israelis have acclimated to a reality that should be unbearable': Joshua Leifer on two years of war Haaretz Podcast'Israelis have acclimated to a reality that should be unbearable': Joshua Leifer on two years of war total-- : --time0:00The activist also reportedly told the Swedish officials that she was forced to pose for pictures holding flags, and had wondered whether the images had been circulated. It is unclear which national flags she was forced to hold. On Thursday, Israeli forces intercepted over 40 boats participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla and detained foreign activists, including Thunberg, ahead of their deportation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the efforts a "de-legitimization campaign against Israel," while the defense minister termed the flotilla a Hamas terrorist operation.Students march during a protest to condemn the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israeli army, in Turin on Thursday. Credit: Marco Bertorello/AFPStudents march during a protest to condemn the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israeli army, in Turin on Thursday. Credit: Marco Bertorello/AFPThunberg was among the most prominent of around 500 activists on the vessels, which set sail in August. The flotilla was transporting medicine and food to war-torn Gaza during a devastating humanitarian crisis.The interception sparked protests in Europe, Asia and South America, and triggered diplomatic backlash. Colombia ordered the expulsion of Israel's entire diplomatic delegation and terminated its free trade agreement with Israel, while Istanbul announced it would open an investigation into the detention.In the NewsIsrael's Education Minister Sought to Bury Students' Poor English Test ScoresBill Banning Egalitarian Prayer at Western Wall Advances to Knesset CommitteeDrone Strike Causes Fire at UAE Nuclear Power Plant; Radiation Levels NormalBeirut Fears That Israel Is Eyeing a 'Gaza Model' for South LebanonICC Prosecutor Seeks Warrants for Ben-Gvir, Smotrich, Other Israeli OfficialsRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIThe Hasidic Jews Behind Florida's Giant Golden Trump StatueStarlink Users, Beware – Israeli Tech Can Reveal Your IdentityIt Wasn't Just Revenge That Israel Was After in GazaWelcome to the Most Shameful Day in the Jewish CalendarIsraeli Teens Storm Muslim Quarter in Old City, Haaretz Reporter AttackedIsrael Attacks New York Times for Report on Sexual Violence by Israeli Forces