'There were acts of mistreatment': French doctor claims that Greta Thunberg was mistreated by Israeli forces during Gaza aid mission
Greta Thunberg (Image credits: X/@benonwine)
A French doctor who was aboard a humanitarian aid boat bound for Gaza has accused Israeli authorities of mistreating passengers, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, after the vessel was intercepted at sea.
Dr Baptiste André, one of the 12 people on the Madleen, said passengers were mocked, deprived of sleep, and given limited access to food and water while in Israeli custody. 'I don't have the legal qualifications to specify what happened, but there were acts of mistreatment,' he told reporters upon arriving in France.
The Madleen, organised by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departed from Italy on June 1 to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza amid a worsening blockade.
It was intercepted by Israeli naval forces roughly 200 kilometres from the Gaza coast.
Four passengers, including Thunberg, signed deportation documents and were sent back home, while eight others remain in Israeli custody awaiting a court hearing.
Thunberg, 22, accused Israel of forcibly detaining the activists in international waters. 'This is yet another intentional violation of rights that is added to the list of countless other violations that Israel is committing,' she said upon arriving at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.
Israel's government dismissed the voyage as a publicity stunt, labelling the vessel a 'selfie yacht' and accusing it of breaching its naval blockade on Gaza.
Thunberg described the voyage as a peaceful protest against Israel's blockade, which she said is worsening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
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