Maddy Giese

A Turkish activist described shocking abuse against climate campaigner Greta Thunberg during Israel’s raid on the Global Sumud Flotilla. “They dragged little Greta 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,” Ersin Celik, a flotilla participant, told Anadolu Agency. A plane carrying 137 activists from the flotilla, including 36 Turkish citizens, landed in Istanbul today. The group was welcomed by families, journalists, and supporters after their ordeal at sea. The activists had joined the mission to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver aid, before Israeli forces intercepted their ships.