Greta Thunberg stated that Israeli soldiers physically assaulted her and humiliated her during her captivity, accusing them of abuses: "They beat me and kicked me. I was in a state of shock."

In an interview with the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, Greta Thunberg recounted the traumatic experiences she endured during her captivity after her aid flotilla for Gaza was intercepted. The activist accused Israeli soldiers of physically assaulting her, claiming they kicked her and humiliated her by throwing an Israeli flag over her. Thunberg described how the soldiers ripped off her hat, trampled on it, and took selfies with her while her belongings were being destroyed. She also mentioned that prison guards frequently threatened to 'gaza' the activists in their cells. The Israeli foreign ministry dismissed the allegations, calling them 'brazen lies,' stating that Thunberg did not report these incidents to the authorities. After five days, Thunberg was released and deported, receiving back her bag which had been inscribed with offensive messages.