Gaza flotilla activists subjected to violence, beatings during Israeli detention, committee head says

Youssef Ajissa, the head of the International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza, relayed on Friday testimonies from Global Sumud Flotilla activists that were subjected to Israel's violations during their detention following the interception of its Gaza-bound aid mission. Some activists who were able to give testimonies confirmed that a number of participants were subjected to "sexual violence, in addition to beatings, dragging, handcuffing, and blindfolding," Ajissa told Anadolu.

'Blatant violation'

He added that "Israeli violations included sexual assaults and harassment," as well as beatings, describing what happened as "a blatant violation of human dignity." "These violations reveal the true nature of the Israeli entity, its criminality, and brutality, and the extent of its danger to the region and the world," he said.

Weak international response

Speaking of what he described as "the weak international response to the incident," Ajissa stressed: "We were shocked by the lack of widespread reaction and condemnation, especially from the European Union, regarding what the Zionist entity did." He added that "imposing sanctions on Israel has become a necessity because it is escalating its violations due to the absence of accountability."

Call for release

Ajissa called for the release of the two activists still in detention, Brazilian national Thiago Avila and Spanish-Swedish national Saif Abukeshek, noting that Israeli authorities have continued to detain and interrogate them for several days. He also demanded protection for ships sailing toward Gaza and guarantees they will not be attacked or subjected to piracy.

Flotilla interception

The Global Sumud Flotilla's Spring 2026 mission was intercepted by Israeli forces on April 29 off the coast of Crete, approximately 600 nautical miles from Gaza. A total of 177 activists were detained. Reports said Avila and Abukeshek have been subjected to severe physical abuse and death threats during interrogation.

Gaza blockade context

Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007. The Israeli army launched a brutal two-year offensive on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 people and causing massive destruction.