Israel Deports Gaza Flotilla Activists Saif Abu Keshek And Thiago Ávila

Israel deported two Gaza flotilla activists, Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Ávila, after authorities detained them following the Global Sumud Flotilla’s interception in international waters near Crete.

“Israel has deported two foreign activists who had been abducted from a Gaza-bound flotilla in international waters, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says”

Al Jazeera

The BBC said the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) was made up of 22 boats and about 175 activists, and that all the other activists were taken to Crete and freed.

Al Jazeera

Israel’s foreign ministry said in a statement posted on X early on Sunday that authorities had completed their investigation and confirmed the two activists had been deported, adding, "Israel will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza."

NBC News reported that the two activists were among dozens intercepted by the Israeli navy off the coast of Crete, hundreds of miles from Israel, and that Israel deported them after being detained for slightly over a week.

In Gaza, NBC News also reported that an Israeli strike hit a vehicle in Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan Younis, killing at least two people including a Hamas police officer, and that the Israeli military said it was reviewing the strike.

Adalah, the rights group representing the activists, said their detention was unlawful and that Israel’s accusations against them were baseless, with Hadeel Abu Salih calling it "a sham proceeding with no legal basis" intended to punish them for challenging Israel’s blockade.

The BBC reported that during their week-long detention in Ashkelon, Adalah claimed the two men were subjected to "psychological abuse", including prolonged interrogations, constant bright lighting in their cells, complete isolation, and transfers while blindfolded.

Al-Monitor

NBC News said Israel’s Foreign Ministry called the two activists in a post on X on Sunday "professional provocateurs," and that Israel accused Abu Keshek of being "suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization" and Ávila of being "suspected of illegal activity," without providing evidence.

NBC News added that Spain and Brazil condemned "the kidnapping of two of their citizens in international waters by the Government of Israel" in a joint statement at the time, and that their detention sparked solidarity protests in several countries.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the two activists were released from Ashkelon’s Shikma detention facility on Sunday and were handed over to the immigration authority, which deported them to an undisclosed location.

The Global Sumud Flotilla said its aim was to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory, while Israel stopped the previous flotilla set up by the GSF from reaching Gaza last October, arresting and then deporting more than 470 people.

“Skip to main content Israel deports two activists detained over Gaza-bound flotilla”

Al-Monitor

NBC News reported that the flotilla’s latest attempt to reach Gaza comes less than a year after Israeli authorities foiled a previous effort involving about 50 vessels and around 500 activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Mandla Mandela.

NBC News also reported that Gaza’s health ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, said Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fired on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing at least 850 Palestinians, and that four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.

The Times of Israel said the Foreign Ministry wrote on X that after their investigation was completed, the two activists were deported, and it quoted Israel’s position: "Israel will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza."

Al Jazeera reported that Israel deported the two abducted activists after an investigation, and that Spain, Brazil and the United Nations called for the men’s swift release.