Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg first rose to global prominence as a teenager by spearheading school strikes for climate, inspiring millions of young people around the world to demand urgent action on environmental issues. From standing alone outside the Swedish parliament with a simple ‘School Strike for Climate’ sign, she has grown into one of the most recognisable voices in the climate movement, addressing world leaders at the UN, leading international campaigns, and now finding herself confronting geopolitical tensions during her activism, such as her recent detention on a Gaza flotilla mission.
Greta Thunberg first became known in 2018, when at age 15 she began striking from school every Friday to demand stronger action on climate change. With a placard reading “Skolstrejk för klimatet” (“school strike for climate”), she sat outside Sweden’s parliament until elections, and her movement soon grew into Fridays for Future, inspiring student-led climate strikes across the globe. Over time, she has addressed the UN, spoken in the US Congress, and insisted that political elites “listen to the scientists.”
She has also been involved in civil disobedience — in 2024, she was fined in Sweden for blocking the entrance to the parliament in protest.
In recent years, Thunberg has voiced solidarity with the Palestinian people. In October 2023, she posted about Gaza and Palestinian suffering alongside her climate activism. She co-published, with other activists, a Guardian essay titled “We won’t stop speaking out about Gaza’s suffering – there is no climate justice without human rights.”
However, her vocal support has drawn backlash. Israeli authorities removed references to her from educational curricula after her pro-Palestinian statements. She has also been detained in connection with pro-Palestinian protests, such as in Denmark in September 2024 when she blocked a building in Copenhagen, and in Sweden in May 2024 near the Eurovision venue.
Thunberg joined the Global Sumud Flotilla, composed of more than 40 vessels aiming to deliver symbolic humanitarian aid and challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla, detaining some 437 to 450 participants, including activists, journalists, and lawmakers. Many were taken to Ketziot Prison, a high-security facility in Israel’s Negev Desert sometimes used for Palestinian detainees.
Thunberg told Swedish officials she faced harsh conditions during her detention. According to an email from the Swedish foreign ministry, as reported by The Guardian and Al Jazeera, she was kept in a bedbug-infested cell, denied sufficient food and water, and forced to sit for long periods on hard surfaces. She developed rashes and experienced dehydration.
Other detainees corroborated these accounts as they reported seeing her dragged by hair, beaten, and forced to hold or even kiss Israeli flags. Italian journalist Lorenzo D’Agostino said she was wrapped in an Israeli flag and paraded as a “trophy.
Fellow detainees also spoke of being denied legal counsel, water, sanitation, and being subjected to intimidation, including soldiers using dogs and laser sights.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry denied the allegations, calling them “complete lies” and asserting all detainees were treated in line with rights to food, water, legal counsel, and restrooms.
International reaction was swift. The Swedish government confirmed that its embassy had met with Thunberg. Activists deported from Israel upon arrival in Turkey reiterated claims of mistreatment. Protests erupted around the world, demanding accountability and highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
For Thunberg, the Gaza mission is a continuation of her belief that climate justice cannot be separated from human rights. Her involvement in the flotilla represents a bold step by a young activist known for climate protests into a deeply contentious geopolitical landscape.
Despite her age and the risks involved — including repeated detentions and global backlash — Thunberg has consistently leveraged her platform to shed light on marginalised voices and crises often ignored in mainstream discourse. With this convoy mission, her activism has transitioned from raising alarm about climate breakdown to directly engaging in humanitarian and political struggles.
