Israel Plans To Release Thiago De Avila And Saif Abukeshek From Global Sumud Flotilla

An Israeli advocacy group for Palestinians said on Saturday that Israeli security authorities planned to release two activists from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla later in the day, naming Brazilian national Thiago de Avila and Spanish activist of Palestinian origin Saif Abukeshek.

“The Adala Center for Rights said that the Israeli security apparatus informed them of the authorities' intention to release the two activists of the Global Flotilla of Resilience, Tiago Avila and Saif Abu Kashk, today, Saturday, in preparation for their deportation”

Al-Jazeera Net

TRT World reported that after the release, Israeli authorities would transfer Avila and Abukeshek to immigration authorities, where they would remain in custody until their deportation, after an Israeli district court in Beersheba rejected an appeal against extending the activists' detention.

Al-Jazeera Net

The TRT World account tied the case to an Israeli attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla on April 30 near the Greek island of Crete, about 600 nautical miles from the blockade-ravaged enclave of Gaza.

TRT World also said Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million people on the verge of starvation, and described a two-year genocidal war on Gaza launched in October 2023 that killed more than 72,000 people and injured over 172,000.

In parallel, the Al Jazeera Net account said the Adala Center for Rights was informed that the Shin Bet told it Israel would release Avila and Abu Kashk from Israeli detention today, Saturday, to be handed over to Israeli immigration authorities later, and to remain in its custody pending their deportation.

The TRT World report said an Israeli district court in Beersheba on Wednesday rejected an appeal filed by rights group Adalah against the extension of the activists' detention, while TRT World described the activists as being held until deportation.

Al Jazeera Net said the center was told the activists had been detained 'illegally' since their arrest by the Israeli navy in the early hours of April 30, and it described them enduring full isolation and punitive conditions throughout detention.

TRT World

Al Jazeera Net also reported that the activists have been on hunger strike since their detention moment, and that Abu Kashk escalated his strike on the evening of May 5 by also refusing to drink water.

The Al Jazeera Net account said the activists were arrested from a ship flying the Italian flag, which it said places them under Italian jurisdiction, and it described the detention as 'a clear violation of international law.'

Al Jazeera Net further stated that the Israeli Foreign Ministry said Abu Kashk and Avila are linked to the 'Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad,' a group that Washington accuses of 'working in secret' for Hamas.

Multiple reports framed the activists’ mission as supporting Gaza and attempting to break Israel’s blockade, with TRT World saying the Global Sumud Flotilla was Gaza-bound and Al Jazeera Net describing the flotilla as an attempt to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza by delivering aid to the enclave.

“A human rights organization said that Israel will release today, Saturday, the activists in the 'Global Flotilla for Resilience' supporting Gaza, Brazilian Tiago Avila and Spanish Saif Abu Kashk, who will remain in the custody of immigration authorities pending their deportation from the country”

Al-Rai

Al Jazeera Net said the Global Flotilla of Resilience included more than 50 ships, and it reported that the Israeli army detained 21 boats carrying about 175 activists while the remaining boats sailed toward Greek territorial waters.

The Al Jazeera Net account also said the second initiative for the Global Flotilla of Resilience followed a September 2025 attempt that ended after an Israeli assault on the ships while they sailed in international waters, and the detention of hundreds of international activists on board before their release.

In parallel, TRT World described Israel’s blockade since 2007 and said the territory’s 2.4 million people were on the verge of starvation, while it described the October 2023 start of a two-year genocidal war on Gaza that killed more than 72,000 people and injured over 172,000.

Against that backdrop, the Al Jazeera Net report said the Adala Center for Rights was closely monitoring developments to ensure the implementation of the decision to release the activists in preparation for their deportation from Israel.