Two Gaza flotilla activists transferred to Israeli prisons following detention in international waters
Released campaigners and the human rights group Adalah allege the men were subjected to physical violence and stress positions during the seizure of the vessels off Greece.
An Israeli court in Ashkelon has approved a two-day extension to the detention of two activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, following their transfer from international waters to Israeli prisons. While 174 other campaigners were released after being intercepted by Israeli forces near Greece, Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila remain in custody. The court initially requested a four-day extension but granted only two days, a decision that has drawn criticism from legal representatives for the detainees.
The two men were moved to Shikma Prison in Ashkelon and Ayalon Prison respectively, facilities that have faced longstanding accusations regarding harsh treatment and torture. According to statements from the flotilla and accounts provided by the Israeli human rights organisation Adalah, the activists allege they were subjected to physical violence and stress positions while aboard the military vessel. Abu Keshek reported being kept hand-tied and blindfolded, forced to lie face-down on the floor from the moment of his seizure until morning, resulting in bruising to his face and hands.
Thiago Avila, a socio-environmentalist from Brazil, alleges he was dragged face-down across the floor and beaten so severely that he lost consciousness twice during the seizure. The Brazilian embassy, during a monitored visit where communication was restricted by glass partitions, observed visible marks on Avila's face and noted he reported significant pain in his shoulder. These reports rely on testimonies from the detained men and embassy observations rather than independent forensic verification.
The detention order comes shortly after the Global Sumud Flotilla, comprising more than 50 vessels, departed from France, Spain, and Italy on 12 April with the aim of breaking the Israeli blockade of Gaza. The mission sought to bring supplies to the enclave, which has been under a sea, land, and air blockade since 2005, with controls tightened following the October 7, 2023, attacks. Abu Keshek, based in Barcelona, has organised Palestinian solidarity movements across Europe for over 20 years and currently chairs the Global Coalition Against the Occupation in Palestine.
Avila, who has dedicated himself to solidarity with Palestine for more than two decades, was previously detained in June 2025 during a different flotilla mission known as the Madleen mission. During that earlier incident, he was placed in solitary confinement at Ayalon Prison for several days. His current detention marks a second instance of his capture by Israeli forces during humanitarian flotilla operations in recent years.
Diplomatic responses to the interception have been swift, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez demanding the release of the citizen and stating that Spain would defend international law. Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also condemned the action, labelling it an act of piracy. The flotilla organisation has reiterated that the forced transfer of civilians from international and European waters into custody, combined with credible allegations of torture and the absence of due process, constitutes a serious violation of international law.
