In a development sparking international outcry, two activists from a humanitarian Gaza aid flotilla, reportedly abducted in international waters, have appeared before an Israeli court. Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazil’s Thiago Avila attended proceedings in Ashkelon on Sunday, their representative, the Israeli rights group Adalah, confirmed.
The duo was among dozens participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, a mission intercepted by Israeli forces off Greece last Thursday. While most participants were diverted to Crete, Abu Keshek and Avila were forcibly taken to Israel for questioning, according to organizers. The court has since extended their detention by two days for further interrogation.
Legal Challenges to Gaza Aid Flotilla Detention
No formal charges have been filed, yet the activists face grave accusations, including affiliation with a “terrorist organization and contact with foreign agents.” Adalah attorneys Hadeel Abu Salih and Lubna Tuma vehemently argued the proceedings are “flawed and illegal,” asserting a complete lack of legal basis for applying such charges to foreign nationals operating in international waters. They describe the entire process as a retaliatory measure against humanitarian leaders.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, claims the activists are linked to the Palestinian National Conference Abroad, which US Department of State officials have stated operates at the “behest” of the Palestinian group Hamas. Spain has unequivocally condemned what it terms the “kidnapping” of Abu Keshek and rejected all accusations against him.
“This entire process is unlawful from the get-go: The fact that they were kidnapped in international waters near Greece and then brought in for questioning,” stated Miriam Azem, international advocacy coordinator at Adalah. “Their detention and interrogation is completely unlawful, and they must be immediately released.”
Harrowing Testimonies Emerge
Disturbing reports surfaced after Adalah lawyers visited the activists at Shikma Prison in Ashkelon on Saturday. Both individuals provided testimony of what the rights group describes as “severe physical abuse amounting to torture.” Their accounts detail physical violence and being held in prolonged stress positions by Israeli military forces during their two days at sea—treatment denounced by Adalah as a clear violation of international law.
Avila reported experiencing “extreme brutality,” including being dragged face-down and beaten so severely he lost consciousness twice; visible bruises now mark his face. Upon transfer, he was kept in isolation and blindfolded. Abu Keshek similarly recounted being hand-tied, blindfolded, and forced to lie face-down during his detention. In protest, both activists have now initiated a hunger strike, though they continue to drink water.
This is not the first instance involving a Gaza aid flotilla. The Global Sumud Flotilla’s inaugural voyage last year, which saw activists like Greta Thunberg arrested and expelled, also drew global attention. Adalah continues its vital work, advocating for campaigners who challenge the blockade on Gaza, an action they view as a fundamental extension of their mandate to defend Palestinian rights.
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