Two Gaza-bound flotilla activists to be deported following Israeli detention
While 168 other Global Sumud Flotilla members were released in Crete, the pair faced accusations of terrorist affiliation before being held in isolation and now face deportation to Spain and Brazil.
Israel is preparing to release two humanitarian aid activists, Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila, who were detained by Israeli authorities after the Global Sumud Flotilla was intercepted. The pair, a Spanish-Palestinian and a Brazilian respectively, are scheduled to be handed over to immigration officials for custody pending deportation to their home countries. This development marks the conclusion of a detention period that saw the two men isolated from the other 168 flotilla members, who were released in Crete following the vessel's interception in international waters off Greece.
Legal representatives confirm that the activists are expected to be freed to their home countries in the coming days, with Adalah, the rights group representing the pair, stating it is closely monitoring the situation to ensure the process proceeds. Hadeel Abu Salih, the lawyer who co-represented the men in Israeli courts, indicated that the release would see them returned to Spain and Brazil. This outcome follows a period where the two were taken to Israel for further questioning, a move their legal team described as a sham proceeding intended to punish them for challenging the blockade.
During their time in custody, the activists were held in total isolation under punitive conditions, a situation Adalah characterised as a clear violation of international law. Reports indicate that both men were on a hunger strike throughout the detention, with Abu Keshek escalating his protest by refusing water since Tuesday. While Israeli authorities have denied accusations of abuse regarding their treatment, the legal team maintained that the arbitrary detention and conditions faced constituted grave violations of international law enabled by a lack of accountability.
The detention was marked by serious allegations from Israeli officials, who accused the pair of affiliation with terrorist organisations and foreign agents. These claims were dismissed by the legal team as baseless, with Abu Salih arguing that the accusations served no legal purpose given that no charges were filed against the men. An Israeli court extended their imprisonment until Sunday despite the absence of formal charges, a decision that underscored the contentious nature of their status during the interim period.
The interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla occurred amid the ongoing war and Israel's blockade of Gaza, with the vessel seeking to reach the territory with humanitarian aid. While the majority of the flotilla members were processed in Crete, the specific targeting of Abu Keshek and Avila for transfer to Israel highlighted the distinct legal and security scrutiny applied to these two individuals. Their impending deportation represents the final stage of a sequence of events that began with the vessel's interception and subsequent detention by Israeli forces.
The rights group Adalah previously described the entire interception and detention process as unlawful, noting that the activists were subjected to ill-treatment over baseless accusations. As the pair prepares to leave Israeli custody, the case remains a focal point for discussions regarding the legality of intercepting humanitarian vessels and the treatment of civilian activists in the context of the current conflict.
