Greta Thunberg Claims She Was ‘Abducted’ After ‘Freedom Flotilla’ Goes Horribly Wrong

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, a global celebrity among environmental and progressive circles, is back in the headlines—this time not for staging a protest but for claiming she was “abducted” by Israel after a Gaza-bound flotilla was intercepted at sea. A video released Thursday shows Thunberg pleading her case.

“My name is Greta Thunberg, I’m a citizen of Sweden” the activist warned. “If you are watching this video, I have been abducted and taken against my will by Israeli forces. Our humanitarian mission was non-violent and abiding by international law.”

“Please tell my government to demand my and the others’ immediate release,” she finished.

According to flotilla organizers, the video was pre-recorded by Thunberg and others before setting sail, meant to be published in case the group lost communication or was detained. The mission, dubbed the Global Sumud Flotilla, set out in October with over 40 vessels and more than 400 activists, all aiming to deliver aid to Hamas-controlled Gaza.

Organizers billed the journey as a peaceful, non-violent challenge to Israel’s blockade. Israel saw it differently.

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Celebrity activist Greta Thunberg releases pre-recorded video claiming she’s been “abducted” by Israel. pic.twitter.com/sy9epFxpFe

— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) October 2, 2025

Israeli naval forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a convoy of over 40 vessels carrying more than 400 activists who set sail in an attempt to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The flotilla, which organizers say was loaded with humanitarian aid such as food, medical supplies, and baby formula, was stopped roughly 75 miles from Gaza. Israel’s military confirmed that its forces boarded several boats, using water cannons and stun grenades to disperse resistance before diverting the ships to Israeli ports.

Israel insists Thunberg and other passengers are safe and healthy, though flotilla participants accuse Israel of seizing them in international waters.

An IDF spokesperson insisted participants were safe, treated humanely, and subject to Israel’s maritime enforcement policies. Officials stressed that the naval blockade of Gaza has been upheld by international bodies as a legitimate security measure against weapons smuggling.

The flotilla, known as the Global Sumud Flotilla — “sumud” meaning steadfastness — was intended as both a humanitarian convoy and a symbolic act of defiance against Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Organizers claim they were acting peacefully and within international law, while Israel offered to allow the cargo to be offloaded at Ashkelon for delivery through official channels, a proposal that the activists rejected.

Thunberg’s video immediately drew headlines for her use of the word “abducted”—a term flotilla organizers and allied NGOs echoed. They argue the activists were seized unlawfully in international waters, framing Israel’s actions as piracy.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, criticized Israel for conducting the seizure outside Gaza’s territorial waters. They claim the move violated the rights of civilians engaged in what they say was a humanitarian mission.

But Israeli officials flatly reject that characterization. They argue that the flotilla was a deliberate attempt to break a security blockade that exists to stop rockets and weapons from reaching Hamas militants. By this account, Israel’s action was not abduction but lawful enforcement.

This isn’t the first time Greta Thunberg has clashed with Israel’s blockade. In a previous voyage, she and fellow activists were stopped by Israeli forces but reportedly treated with relative leniency—at one point even given sandwiches before being placed on a flight home.

This time, however, the sheer scale of the flotilla and Thunberg’s global profile escalated the standoff into an international controversy.