Israel has accused one of Greta Thunberg's Gaza flotilla sailors of biting a medic as the country hit back against allegations of mistreatment towards the campaigners.

On Monday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that "the only violent incident came from a Hamas-Sumud provocateur who bit a female medical staff member of Ketziot prison".

The comments came after claims that Israeli authorities had beaten and set dogs on detained activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla.

The group is yet to respond to the biting allegations.

The comments came amid accusations that Israeli authorities had mistreated detained activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla

Flotilla detainees claimed that soldiers shoved 22-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and made her wear an Israeli flag before her deportation from the country on Monday.

After landing in Greek capital Athens, Ms Thunberg said: “I could talk for a very, very long time about our mistreatment and abuses in our imprisonment, trust me, but that is not the story."

The 22-year old was part of a group of 400 activists who set sail on board 45 civilian boats to attempt to break the Israeli maritime blockade of Gaza and deliver aid.

The Swede said: “That this mission has to exist, it’s a shame! It is a shame!”

Flotilla detainees alleged that soldiers shoved Greta Thunberg and made her wear an Israeli flag

A total of 171 pro-Palestine campaigners were deported from Israel to Greece and Slovakia.

Ms Thunberg was welcomed to Athens' Eleftherios Venizelos airport by cheering crowds as she was seen raising a clenched fist and clutching flowers.

In response to the activists' mistreatment claims, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar affirmed that “all the legal rights of the participants in this PR stunt were and will continue to be fully upheld".

“The lies they are spreading are part of their pre-planned fake news campaign," Mr Sa'ar added.

Italian activist journalist Saverio Tommasi claimed: “I was beaten from the moment we entered the port until the very end", The Guardian reported.

“Blows to my back, blows to my head - and they [the Israeli soldiers] laughed, laughed at all of it. Anyone who failed to keep their eyes down was punished with a hit to the head.”

Spanish activist lawyer Rafael Borrego told Reuters: “At any time that any of us called a police officer, we risked that seven or more fully armed people entered to our cell, as they did on mine, pointing us with weapons at our heads, with dogs ready to attack us, and being dragged to the floor."

While Italian Green politician Benedetta Scuderi said protesters were "brutally stopped" by Israeli authorities before being "brutally taken hostage".

Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was 'proud' of the way Ketziot prison staff treated the activists

Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was "proud" of the way Ketziot prison staff treated the activists.

He added: “They should get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they approach Israel again.”

The Global Sumud Flotilla claimed more vessels were on their way to Gaza to deliver aid on Monday night.

Around 138 activists remain in the custody of Israeli authorities.