Gaza flotilla activists allege mistreatment while being detained in Israel
Some of the activists detained while trying to reach Gaza by sea have returned to their home countries to describe mistreatment at the hands of Israeli guards.
Some 450 activists were arrested as Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 42 boats seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid to the famine-stricken territory.
Those detained between Wednesday and Friday were brought to Israel, where many remain in prison.
Israel denies the claims.
Detention
The Israeli foreign ministry said it offered voluntary deportation to all of the activists and those that remain in detention chose to stay there in order to go through a legal deportation process.
On his return at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport late on Saturday, Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers withheld medicines and treated prisoners “like monkeys”.
Israel’s foreign ministry said the claims of mistreatment were “brazen lies”.
Among those detained were Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela and several European legislators.
Mr Tommasi said Ms Thunberg was singled out by Israeli forces after being arrested.
“We also saw Greta Thunberg at the port, in that case with her arms tied and an Israeli flag next to her, just a mockery,” he said.
“Let’s say the mockery was part of the verbal and psychological violence they always carried out, in order to demean, ridicule and laugh in situations where there is nothing to laugh about.”
‘Baseless allegations’
In a statement on social media, the ministry said all detainees’ legal rights had been “fully upheld”, adding that Ms Thunberg had not complained about the “ludicrous and baseless allegations – because they never occurred”.
The interception of the flotilla came as US president Donald Trump attempted to broker a fresh ceasefire initiative in Gaza, as he ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza.
Israel said it had accepted Mr Trump’s proposal, and Hamas has said it accepts some aspects. Negotiators are expected in Cairo on Monday.
Another Italian journalist, Lorenzo D’Agostino, said detainees were repeatedly woken during the two nights he spent behind bars.
They were also intimidated with dogs and by soldiers pointing the laser sights of their guns at prisoners “to scare us”, he said. He spoke after landing at Istanbul Airport, where 137 activists from 13 countries arrived from Israel on Saturday.
Mr D’Agostino added that his belongings and money had been “stolen by the Israelis”.
Humiliation
Activist Paolo De Montis described being crammed into a prison van for hours with his hands secured by zip ties.
“Constant stress and humiliation,” he said. “You weren’t allowed to look them in the face, always had to keep your head down and when I did look up, a man … came and shook me and slapped me on the back of the head. They forced us to stay on our knees for four hours.”
In a statement, far-right Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was “proud” of the way staff behaved at Ketziot prison, a facility in the Negev desert.
“I was proud that we treat the ‘flotilla activists’ as supporters of terrorism. Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists,” he said.
“If any of them thought they would come here and receive a red carpet and trumpets – they were mistaken. They should get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they approach Israel again.”
The arrests led to criticism from several governments including Turkey, Colombia and Pakistan.
Greece, which had 27 of its nationals in Israeli custody, issued a “strong written protest” to Israel over the “unacceptable and inappropriate behaviour of an Israeli minister”.
The complaint is thought to refer to footage of Mr Ben-Gvir upbraiding the activists for supporting “terrorism” and mocking their aid initiative after they were brought ashore at the southern port of Ashdod on Friday.
The Swedish foreign ministry said it had “acted intensively to ensure that the detained Swedes’ rights are observed”.
The interception of the flotilla also led to large-scale demonstrations in cities across the world.
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Some how this news is not surprising. Evil zionist government have no boundaries for pushing their evil agenda and behaviour. The flotilla activists are brave, beautiful and kind hearted. May Allah bless them all.
When Israel was established as a nation, many from the terrorist organisations that brought them the nation enlisted into the original Israeli Defence Force. Their unpunished crimes included bombings that killed many civilians and executing British servicemen they captured.
If anyone believes a nation should not be be established for people with a terrorist element, maybe Israel should never have been formed and their very existence now questioned, especially considering their ongoing genocide in Gaza and expulsions of Palestinians from their own land in the West Bank.
Potus told Israel to stop the bombing but he must now realise that he has little control over Netanyahu or some of the Far Right members of his government.They talk about “International Law” but like Trump only when it suits!!!
Again Zionist Israel see themselves above the law. Besides murdering hundreds of Palestinians daily with fascist America’s blessing, they’ve freely attack the flotilla with incendiary devices endangering lives as the world watches on with indifference? They sprayed the boats with foul smelling liquid. Used psychological warfare tactics. And one by one have been hijacking those peace protestors taking aid to a starving population on Gaza. And there has been very limited reporting on the complicit mainstream media unless related to Israel. Imagine if this were the Houthi rebels in the Sea of Hormuz and they were attacking ships owed or… Read more »
well Y Cymro – a good start for the U.N. would be to get their headquarters the hell out of the U.S. of A., and kick out the Loser Trump, Grandma Bibi and all the other creeps, inhuman mass murderers, Starmer, at the same time, until we come to our senses. Am so heartbroken over all this – just to think of 200,000 tons of the “best” bombs, at the same time as seeing that dear little Hind Rajab’s face and her haunting message of being so scared. Thanks for all your measured comments. I do hope Nation Cymru can… Read more »
I don’t think Türkiye Pakistan and Colombia have anything to boast about in terms of imprisonment of protesters and innocent people or the quality of their prisons. It’s like South Africa bringing a case against Israel – not exactly a great example of a country to do that.
Not sure any of the countries you mention commit genocide. Which so far you have failed to acknowledge or condemn. This saddens me.