Israeli Forces Intercept Global Sumud Flotilla, Detain 422 Activists, Deport Them

More than 50 boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) set sail from Turkey last week to breach Israel's maritime blockade of Gaza and deliver food and medical aid, but Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla in international waters and ordered commandos to board the boats west of Cyprus on Monday and Tuesday.

“- Published Pro-Palestinian activists who were deported after their Gaza-bound aid flotilla was intercepted in international waters by Israeli forces have alleged they were subjected to abuse while held in detention”

BBC

The detained activists were transferred to Israeli vessels and taken to an Israeli prison after arriving at the port of Ashdod, and on Thursday 422 people from 41 countries were deported by Israel.

BBC

Activists and organisers alleged abuse in detention, including "at least 15 cases of sexual assaults" and claims that other detainees were beaten and mistreated, while Israel's prison service dismissed the allegations as false and said detainees were "held in accordance with the law".

Canada said it had received information detailing "appalling abuse" of its citizens, while Germany and Spain confirmed that a number of their citizens had injuries, and the BBC said it could not independently verify the allegations.

The Guardian reported that Israeli forces arrested 430 people onboard 50 ships in international waters on Tuesday to halt the flotilla of volunteers trying to take aid supplies to the Gaza Strip, and it said the allegations would add to pressure on Israeli authorities after video footage of Itamar Ben Gvir mocking activists sparked an international outcry.

An Israeli prison service spokesperson denied the claims, saying, "The allegations raised are false and entirely without factual basis," while the same statement asserted that "All prisoners and detainees are held in accordance with the law".

El País

In Rome, Luca Poggi, an Italian economist among those detained, told Reuters on his arrival that "We were stripped, thrown to the ground, kicked," and he said many were Tasered and some were sexually assaulted.

A legal source in Italy said prosecutors were investigating possible crimes including kidnapping and sexual assault, and Germany said its consular officials met German activists on arrival in Istanbul and reported that some were injured and undergoing medical checks.

El País reported that four of the 44 Spaniards detained and expelled from Israel on Thursday toward Turkey required medical attention, and it said the Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares revealed they were "in the worst condition".

“Activists released from Israeli custody after being detained on a flotilla trying to take aid to Gaza were subjected to abuse, organisers have alleged, with several hospitalised with injuries and at least 15 reporting sexual assaults, including rape”

The Guardian

Ariadna Masmitjà told El País that "we all have bruises from the blows, rubber-bullet shots or from being handcuffed," and she described beatings and ill-treatment that included forced interruption of sleep by stun grenades, beating of the cell bars, and water being sprayed.

El País also said a provisional medical report stated at least nine people were still hospitalized, including five with bones fractured in arms, feet, ribs or in a vertebra for a French citizen, and it described pellet wounds at close range on the prison ships.

In a statement, Free Palestine NOW joined denunciations of mistreatment, saying, "[There are] at least 15 cases of sexual assaults, including rapes," while the Global Sumud flotilla documented "twelve sexual assaults" on one of the prison ships where they were held, including an anal rape and forced penetration with a pistol.