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On Oct. 6, a wave of more than 100 determined campaigners touched down in Greece, greeted as heroes after their dramatic release by Israeli authorities. The group, detained while attempting to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza with a bold flotilla aid mission, was met at Athens International Airport by a jubilant crowd of pro-Palestinian supporters waving flags and chanting in solidarity.
Among the newly freed activists was renowned climate advocate Greta Thunberg, whose presence electrified the gathering. Thunberg spoke passionately about her time in Israeli custody, sharing insights into the resilience and resolve of the international movement for justice in Palestine.
Thunberg, 22, the internationally recognized Swedish climate and anti-war activist, first captured the world’s attention with her impassioned 2019 “How Dare You” speech, in which she condemned the greed of corporations and billionaires fueling environmental destruction. Since that defining moment, Thunberg has become a global symbol for climate action and, more recently, has expanded her advocacy to spotlight the humanitarian crisis in Palestine — boldly speaking out against Israel’s occupation and the suffering inflicted on Palestinians.
The October detention was not the first time the aid group was intercepted by Israeli forces. In June 2025, Thunberg participated in the Sumud flotilla, which aimed to break the Israeli siege of Gaza by delivering food and medicine aboard the vessel Madleen. Israeli forces intercepted the vessel on June 9, detaining those on board. Thunberg and other activists were subsequently deported, arriving in France on June 10. In a public statement, she described the activists’ detention as illegal. Thunberg focused on the situation of Palestinians and called for the release of detainees who remained imprisoned.
Cut back to the beginning of October, the Global Sumud flotilla was intercepted once again. Everyone involved with the flotilla was arrested, with Thunberg releasing a shocking pre-recorded video, asking for supporters to “demand her release” from the government, as she had been “abducted by Israeli forces.”
In the Athens Airport, Thunberg spoke to journalists and supporters.
“Let me be very clear. There is a genocide going on. Our international systems are betraying Palestinians. They are not even able to prevent the worst war crimes from happening. What we aimed to do with the Global Sumud Flotilla was to step up when our governments failed to do their legal obligation.”
Gretha Thunberg
Thunberg posted a video to her Instagram to confirm her release. In her message, she once again brings light to the Palestinians who are being held hostage, systematically starved, and killed. She goes on to call attention to the apartheid state, emphasizing that this international conflict has a much longer history than many people know. Furthermore, she calls out support for Israel’s actions towards Palestine, highlighting funding from countries like the U.S.
“This is the story, here, that we should be focusing on,” Thunberg said.
In the video, Thunberg briefly mentions her mistreatment by Israeli captors, a claim which had been backed by other formerly detained members of the flotilla. There were claims that she had been starved, deprived of water, assaulted, and “forced to kiss the Israeli flag.” Some other members claim they were deprived of sleep, assaulted, and locked in a cage. Israel denies claims of mistreating their detainees.
Since the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, more than 60,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, as reported by PBS and ABC News. Yet, two years later, the Israeli government continues to reject accusations of genocide in Gaza. Despite Thunberg’s harrowing ordeal in captivity, she remains steadfast in her mission to ensure that the suffering of the Palestinian people is taken seriously.