Environmental activist Greta Thunberg has reportedly communicated to officials from Sweden that she is enduring confinement in a bug-infested cell with minimal food and water, and she is being coerced into holding Israeli flags for photographs. 

Thunberg, 22, was one of 437 activists, parliamentarians, and lawyers who attempted to bring aid to Gaza by circumventing Israel’s 16-year maritime blockade of the enclave, participating in the Freedom Flotilla, which consisted of over 40 vessels. 

Between Wednesday and Friday, Israel’s navy intercepted all the boats and arrested every person onboard while in international waters. 

The majority of these individuals are reportedly detained in Ansar III prison, a high-security facility located in Israel’s Negev desert, typically used for Palestinian security prisoners accused of terrorist activities. 

According to Swedish foreign ministry officials who conveyed information from individuals close to the activist, Thunberg has described her severe treatment by the Israeli authorities. 

An email from officials, cited by the Guardian, states: ‘The embassy has managed to meet Greta. She reported dehydration and has been receiving inadequate quantities of water and food. 

‘She also mentioned developing rashes which she believes were caused by bedbugs. She described experiencing harsh treatment and enduring long periods sitting on hard surfaces.’

‘Another detainee reportedly told another embassy that they had seen her [Thunberg] being forced to hold flags while pictures were taken. She wondered whether images of her had been distributed,’ the Swedish ministry’s official reportedly added. 

The claims appear to corroborate what others have previously said. 

Turkish activist Ersin Çelik, who took part in the Freedom Flotilla, said: ‘They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others’. 

Many of the activists detained while trying to reach Gaza by sea have returned to their home countries to also describe mistreatment at the hands of Israeli guards.   

On his return at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport late on Saturday, Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers withheld medicines and treated prisoners ‘like monkeys’.

Israel’s foreign ministry said the claims of mistreatment were ‘brazen lies’.  

Mr Tommasi said Ms Thunberg was singled out by Israeli forces after being arrested.

‘We also saw Greta Thunberg at the port, in that case with her arms tied and an Israeli flag next to her, just a mockery,’ he said.

‘Let’s say the mockery was part of the verbal and psychological violence they always carried out, in order to demean, ridicule and laugh in situations where there is nothing to laugh about.’

In a statement on social media, the ministry said all detainees’ legal rights had been ‘fully upheld’, adding that Ms Thunberg had not complained about the ‘ludicrous and baseless allegations – because they never occurred’. 

Another Italian journalist, Lorenzo D’Agostino, said detainees were repeatedly woken during the two nights he spent behind bars.

They were also intimidated with dogs and by soldiers pointing the laser sights of their guns at prisoners ‘to scare us’, he said. He spoke after landing at Istanbul Airport, where 137 activists from 13 countries arrived from Israel on Saturday.

Mr D’Agostino added that his belongings and money had been ‘stolen by the Israelis’.

Activist Paolo De Montis described being crammed into a prison van for hours with his hands secured by zip ties.

‘Constant stress and humiliation,’ he said. ‘You weren’t allowed to look them in the face, always had to keep your head down and when I did look up, a man … came and shook me and slapped me on the back of the head. They forced us to stay on our knees for four hours.’ 

In a statement, far-right Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was ‘proud’ of the way staff behaved at Ketziot prison, a facility in the Negev desert.

‘I was proud that we treat the ‘flotilla activists’ as supporters of terrorism. Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists,’ he said.

‘If any of them thought they would come here and receive a red carpet and trumpets – they were mistaken. They should get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they approach Israel again.’