Greta Thunberg is back in Sweden after being detained in Israel.
Now, she’s revealing a shocking and offensive word that was written on her suitcase, amid her claims of mistreatment during captivity.
Greta Thunberg, the 22-year-old Swedish climate activist, was detained in Israel in early October after joining a flotilla of over 40 vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, defying Israel’s long-standing naval blockade.
The Israeli Navy intercepted the ships, taking Thunberg, Mandla Mandela (Nelson Mandela’s grandson), and several European politicians into custody.
According to the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, Greta has had some trouble sleeping since returning from Israel.
She lives in a shared house, and on her first night back, she slept through the entire night for the first time in who knows how long. But on the second night, she only managed about half an hour of sleep after a nightmare about bombed boats woke her up. It’s clear that she is quite shaken.
“My brain doesn’t work like it usually does,” she told Aftonbladet.
In the interview, Thunberg described being held in sweltering conditions and witnessing other detainees restrained on the ground.
According to Greta, she was kicked by guards while others were beaten to the ground.
“They roughly shoved me into a corner, facing the wall. ‘A special place for a special lady,’
they said.
According to Greta, the guards had picked up Swedish insults and repeatedly called her a “whore.”
Thunberg described her time in detention as terrifying and surreal. Detainees were confined in metal cages, forced to stand overnight, and threatened with gas. She added that guards regularly disrupted sleep by shaking cell bars and shining flashlights.
”The guards completely lack empathy and humanity, and they kept taking selfies with me. There’s a lot I don’t remember — so much was happening at once. You’re in a state of shock. You’re in pain, but you enter a stage where you try to stay calm.”
She also claimed that Israeli guards had scrawled “Whore Greta” in large black marker on her suitcase, surrounding it with a drawing of an Israeli flag and an erect penis. Thunberg says the officers mocked her while drinking water as she “begged” for relief in 40°C heat.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry strongly denied Thunberg’s claims. In a statement to The Telegraph, they said:
”All of her legal rights were fully upheld. Interestingly enough, Greta herself refused to expedite her deportation and insisted on prolonging her stay in custody. She also never lodged any complaint with the Israeli authorities regarding these ludicrous and baseless allegations, because they simply never happened.”
The ministry added that Thunberg was treated according to international law and was safely deported on October 6.
The humanitarian flotilla set sail in August 2025, carrying more than 500 activists and aid supplies. Israeli authorities had reportedly warned the ships via radio that they were entering “an active warzone” and advised them to turn back.
Thunberg was one of 12 aboard the Madleen, heading for Gaza. When the ships continued, Israeli forces boarded them and detained everyone on board before later deporting them.
The incident has intensified debates over Israel’s blockade and activism in the region, with supporters praising Thunberg’s efforts and critics accusing her of spreading misinformation.
More than 80 dogs were found living in squalor, surrounded by dirt and their own faeces in a house in Yorkshire.
The canines, along with two cats and a chicken, were found living in the ‘appalling conditions’ in Tickhill in Doncaster.
Shocking pictures show the springer spaniels covered in their own filth – crowded together on a rotting staircase thick with dust and dirt.
Ripped and stained wallpaper can also be seen on the walls, along with a chandelier which is coated in dust.
In another jaw-dropping image, around 17 of the dogs are seen locked in a tiny room, which appears to be caked in mud on all of the walls and the floor.
The pets are huddled tightly together, while one is hidden under a small cupboard, where two more are sat on top.
They were on Thursday rescued by South Yorkshire Police and the RSPCA.
Dog legislation officers and members of the animal charity entered the home and said they were ‘immediately taken aback by the smell, the conditions and the volume of animals living inside’.
Shocking photos show the springer spaniels were seen crowded together on a rotting staircase
In another picture the dogs were seen locked in a small room, covered in their own filth
They were met with ‘faeces, filth and round every corner and room, more dogs’.
Officers took the dogs to safety, counting 78 springer spaniels and four dogs of other breeds.
South Yorkshire Police confirmed that all of the animals have been taken into kenneling.
Officers are continuing to investigate the owners responsible.
Chief Inspector Emma Cheney said: ‘Effective teamwork and strong partnerships between us, the RSPCA and Doncaster City Council allowed us to act on community intelligence that a property was being used to house animals and obtain an emergency warrant from the courts.
‘This is not responsible dog ownership; this is cruelty and I am pleased we have been able to intervene and ensure that these dogs receive the care they deserve and hopefully have a bright future ahead of them.’
Anyone who believes they have information that can contribute to enquiries is asked to contact South Yorkshire Police.
Last week, pictures showed the horrific home of a dog walker who kept 11 pets in deplorable’ conditions with faeces crushed into the carpets. The building was so squalid that it left an RSPCA inspector ‘retching’.
Dog walker Hannah Critchlow kept the animals in a house described as being one of the worst ever seen by the hardened officers
The officer of eight years described having to hold her breath as she held the photos, because she could not stand staying in the ‘thick smell’ in the rooms
Critchlow, 30, who a ran a business called UpDog Walking, Training & Behaviour, has now been banned from keeping animals for 12 months
Dog walker Hannah Critchlow kept the animals in a house described as being one of the worst ever seen by the hardened officers – where the foul dirt was so thick it had to be pushed aside to make a walkway through the rooms.
Two of the dogs were staying there while their owners were on holiday while others were being fostered by her on behalf of an animal charity. Some were left so ill after staying with her that they required treatment from a vet.
Critchlow, 30, who a ran a business called UpDog Walking, Training & Behaviour, has now been banned from keeping animals for 12 months.
She had previously agreed to give the RSPCA access to see the dogs on August 18 last year but she had failed to show up twice for scheduled appointments on the day.
Further visits were made until her van was spotted outside the property in September.
She then allowed RSPCA Inspector Rowena Proctor and the police inside and the dogs were seized on animal welfare grounds.
Critchlow was later prosecuted and she appeared at Peterlee Magistrates Court having plead guilty to one Animal Welfare Act offence.
In another case last year, more than 30 pets were found surrounded by faeces, flies and rubbish as one puppy was discovered shaking in terror.
More than 30 pets were found surrounded by faeces, flies and rubbish as one puppy was discovered shaking in terror
Described as a ‘house of horrors’, 24 dogs – including 15 puppies – seven cats, a hamster and two rats were found by the RSPCA following a report to the charity’s cruelty line.
Inspectors said they were unable to breathe because the ‘ammonia was overpowering’ as they entered the property.
Shocking video footage shows the moment inspectors enter the property as the dogs scrambled towards the door.
Pictures also reveal the filthy conditions that the animals were living in as they were surrounded by faeces, urine and empty food cans.
Among the pets was puppy Raya, who was found standing on a pile of rubbish trembling in fear.
While four petrified cats with urine-stained coats were crammed in filthy guinea pig cages.
Raya was one of 15 puppies taken to the RSPCA’s Birmingham Animal Hospital where staff worked into the early hours of the morning to make them all comfortable.