Israel has accused a Gaza aid flotilla activist of biting a member of prison staff, claiming it was “the only violent incident” involving those detained. The accusation came in response to allegations of mistreatment during the activists’ detention. Members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, were attempting to breach the blockade of Gaza by sea, where the United Nations has warned of famine after two years of conflict.
The flotilla was stopped by the Israeli Navy on Friday. According to fellow activists, those detained were “tortured” and subjected to “harsh treatment” in an Israeli prison. Israeli officials later rejected the accusations, stating that all legal rights of the participants were fully upheld. The flotilla activists have not yet responded to the biting allegations.
Thunberg was among more than 170 activists deported to Greece and Slovakia on Monday. The group comprised citizens from 19 countries, including the US, UK, Germany, and France. The Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote in a Facebook post on Monday that the lies spread by the activists were part of a pre-planned fake news campaign.