Fontaines D.C., AURORA and more react to reports of Greta Thunberg being mistreated in Israeli custody

Fontaines D.C. and AURORA have led reactions to recent reports alleging Greta Thunberg was severely mistreated by Israeli forces while in detention.

Thunburg was among the 437 activists, including at least 15 Irish citizens, detained by Israel when all boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) were intercepted.

According to an email correspondence seen by The Guardian, a Swedish official visited Thunberg in prison where she said she was held in a cell invested with bedbugs with inadequate supplies of food and water.

"The embassy has been able to meet with Greta," read the email from the Swedish foreign ministry set to Thunberg's loved ones.

"She informed of dehydration. She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food. 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."

The correspondence also detailed a report from another detainee that Thunburg was forced to hold flags while Israeli forces took photos of her, adding, "She wondered whether images of her had been distributed."

Such reports were corroborated by two other activists from the flotilla who were released from Israeli custody on Saturday.

"They dragged little Greta by her hair before our eyes, beat her and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag," said Turkish activist Ersin Çelik to Anadolu News.

"They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others."

Lorenzo D’Agostino, an Italian journalist and fellow flotilla activist, described seeing Thunberg "wrapped in the Israeli flag and paraded like a trophy."

In a separate instance, American GSF activist Windfield Beaver told Reuters upon his release that he saw Thunberg "treated terribly" and "used as propaganda."

In reaction to the reports, Fontaines D.C. posted an Instagram story with an image of Thunberg and the caption, "Greta Thunberg violently handled by Israeli military. She was dragged by her hair, beaten, and forced to kiss Israeli flag."

While on board the Madleen aid flotilla in June, Thunberg was seen wearing a jersey from a collaboration between Fontaines D.C. and Bohemian FC. The Madleen was intercepted by Israeli forces and its crew deported.

AURORA posted a video on Instagram reacting to the additional reports that Thunberg was "beaten and dragged by her hair."

"She is 22 and all she has done is try to stand up for a whole nation that is about to die from being forced to starve," AURORA said.

"No matter what you think about the regime in a country, this is never OK."

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by AURORA (@auroramusic)

Shirley Manson (Garbage) and Nadine Shah also posted in solidarity with Thunberg and the GSF activists.

The Israeli government did not immediately issue official comment on the allegations, but its foreign ministry claimed reports of mistreatment of detainees were "complete lies."

Most of the detained activists were sent to the infamous Ktzi'ot prison, which is known to hold Palestinian prisoners accused of involvement with Hamas. A 2024 report by Israeli human rights NGO B'Tselem found Palestinians held in Ktzi'ot were subject to deprivation of food and water, brutal beatings and rampant sexual abuse.

According to lawyers with the NGO Adalah, the GSF activists' rights have been "systematically violated" as they are denied water, medications, sanitation and access to their legal representatives.

Adalah also said the detainees were "forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for at least five hours, after some participants chanted 'Free Palestine.'"

In the past, activists detained by Israel were deported as an immigration matter rather than criminally prosecuted.

Among the Irish activists detained by Israeli forces were Cork comedian Tadhg Hickey, Clare poet Sarah Clancy and Sinn Féin senator Christopher Andrews.

The GSF confirmed this afternoon that 171 participants, including Greta Thunberg, have been released and deported to Greece and Slovakia.

171 Global Sumud Flotilla participants, including Greta Thunberg, have been deported to Greece and Slovakia. These heroes stood for Gaza — and the world is watching pic.twitter.com/w3idi281UI

— Global Sumud Flotilla (@GlobalSumud) October 6, 2025

The GSF later confirmed that Hickey was among those deported.

Tadhg Hickey is among the 171 Global Sumud Flotilla members just deported from Israel pic.twitter.com/fy7vvOYOji

— Global Sumud Flotilla (@GlobalSumud) October 6, 2025

In a statement released this morning, Tánaiste Simon Harris said the Irish citizens involved have now been released and are on their way back to Ireland.

"This welcome outcome was secured after a weekend of intensive efforts by officials from across my Department, including the Embassy team in Tel Aviv, working in conjunction with international partners," Harris said.

"I know that this has been a difficult time for both the Irish citizens and their families, and I pay tribute to their strength throughout. Dublin-based officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade remain in close contact with family members who have requested our support, and will continue to update them."

However, the children of detained Irish GSF activist Louise Heaney said they have received no direct information about their mother's condition, location or health since she was first taken into custody.

Heaney's five children alleged in a statement yesterday that their mother was interrogated without legal counsel present, describing "deeply disturbing" reports of mistreatment particularly towards women, who "have been abused and stripped of their religious headscarves."

These reports were corroborated by an Adalah lawyer in a video statement distributed by the GSF this afternoon.

The GSF also said that various activists have begun hunger strikes in response to the mistreatment of their fellow detainees, including Irish participant Patrick O'Donovan.

The detainment and mistreatment of the activists has sparked protests around the world, including in Dublin last week.