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The Israeli government has denied mistreating prominent climate activist Greta Thunberg and others involved with a recent flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: Last week, an international group of activists launched the Global Sumud Flotilla, a 42-boat convoy headed for Gaza. Their goal was to challenge Israel’s naval blockade and deliver aid to Palestinians caught in the ongoing humanitarian crisis. On the boats were more than 450 people from across the world, including Thunberg, journalists, politicians, and human rights workers. The Israeli Navy eventually intercepted the flotilla in international waters, detaining everyone on board and towing the boats to Israeli ports. In total, over 470 people were arrested.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, activists and legal aid groups are accusing Israeli authorities of subjecting detainees (including Greta Thunberg) to degrading and inhumane treatment while in custody. Thunberg reportedly told Swedish embassy officials she was denied sufficient food and water, developed rashes possibly caused by bedbugs, and was forced to sit for hours on hard surfaces in overcrowded conditions. She has yet to speak directly with a lawyer, but flotilla representatives say she described her experience as “harsh and exhausting.” The Israeli legal advocacy group Adalah echoed these claims, saying detainees were zip-tied for hours, denied medication, and blocked from accessing legal counsel.

Other activists deported to Turkey, Greece, and elsewhere have backed those claims with their own accounts. Turkish journalist Ersin Çelik alleged that Israeli guards “dragged Greta by her hair,” beat her, and forced her to kiss an Israeli flag. American activist Winfield Beaver claimed she was “used as propaganda,” shoved into rooms when Israeli officials entered, and paraded with the flag. Another detainee, Turkish presenter Ikbal Gurpinar, recalled drinking from toilets and seeing bloodstained walls, saying, “We actually experienced a little bit of what Palestinians go through.”

Israel, for its part, has aggressively denied all allegations. In a statement shared Sunday on X, the Israeli Foreign Ministry called the reports “brazen lies” and insisted that “all the detainees’ legal rights were fully upheld.” It also claimed Thunberg “did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations because they never occurred.” The ministry went on to say that detainees had access to food, water, medical treatment, and legal representation, and claimed that Thunberg and others “refused to expedite their deportation and insisted on prolonging their stay in custody.”

This comes as Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir (who oversees the prison system), openly boasted about the treatment of the activists. “I went to visit Ketziot prison, and I was proud that we are treating the ‘flotilla activists’ as terror supporters,” he told the Times of Israel. “Whoever supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists. It is worthwhile for them to experience the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they come close to Israel again.”