Israeli court extends detention of Gaza flotilla volunteers for two days

An Israeli court extended on Saturday the detention of Thiago de Avila and Saif Abukeshek, two volunteers aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, for two days. Israeli prosecutors sought a four-day detention extension for the Global Sumud Flotilla activists over security-related allegations, according to a statement by Adalah, an Israeli advocacy group for Palestinians inside Israel.

Legal objections

However, their lawyers argued that "the entire legal process is fundamentally flawed and illegal," the statement added. No charges have been filed against either activist, and they remain under interrogation at the pre-indictment stage, the group said. "Both Mr. de Avila and Mr. Abukeshek will be transferred back to the Shikma detention facility in Israel (Ashkelon), where they remain in isolation," it added.

Hunger strike

The activists are on hunger strike in protest of their unlawful detention and ill-treatment. The Global Sumud Flotilla was attacked on Thursday near the Greek island of Crete, some 600 nautical miles from its destination, the blockaded enclave of Gaza.

Flotilla mission

The flotilla's first ships, carrying humanitarian aid, left Barcelona on April 12, while the main fleet set sail from the Italian island of Sicily on April 26, aiming to break Israel's years-long blockade of Gaza. Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip 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.