Two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla appeared before an Israeli court on Sunday after being intercepted in international waters and brought to Israel for interrogation.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, a collection of approximately 60 vessels, set sail from Barcelona two weeks ago to deliver medicines, toys, and humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Organisers said the mission aimed to break Israel’s illegal blockade. However, the Israeli military launched a raid on the civilian fleet on Wednesday night while the boats were off the southern coast of Greece.
Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish-Palestinian national, and Thiago Ávila, from Brazil, appeared in court in Ashkelon. The state has requested a four-day extension of their detention, according to Miriam Azem, a coordinator for the rights group Adalah.
Allegations of extreme brutality
Activists reported that about 175 people were abducted during the raid and subjected to “40 hours of calculated cruelty” aboard an Israeli naval ship.
According to a statement from the Global Sumud Flotilla, participants were denied adequate food and water and forced to sleep on floors that were deliberately flooded. During the abduction of Abu Keshek and Ávila, activists said the remaining group attempted to resist peacefully but were met with violence.
Participants were reportedly punched, kicked, and dragged across the deck with their hands bound. Reports indicate some suffered broken noses and cracked ribs, while shots were allegedly fired during the chaos.
Ávila told lawyers he was subjected to “extreme brutality,” stating he was dragged face-down and beaten so severely that he passed out twice. He added that since arriving in Israel, he has been kept in isolation and blindfolded. Abu Keshek was similarly bound and forced to lie face-down from the moment of his seizure, the group said.
Political accusations and international reaction
The Israeli foreign ministry claimed the two men are affiliated with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), an organisation subject to US sanctions for allegedly acting on behalf of Hamas. Israel identified Abu Keshek as a leading member of the PCPA and suspected Ávila of “illegal activity.”
Spain has condemned the detention of Abu Keshek and rejected the Israeli accusations.
Flotilla organisers noted that the interception occurred more than 1,000km from Gaza. They alleged that Israeli forces smashed their equipment, leaving them in a “calculated death trap at sea.” Dozens of other activists disembarked on the Greek island of Crete on Friday.
The incident follows a similar voyage in late 2025, where Israeli forces intercepted boats off the coasts of Egypt and Gaza, leading to the arrest and expulsion of several crew members.
Information taken from AFP