Two Gaza aid flotilla activists were released from an Israeli prison and deported, after detention following an interception near Crete.
Two Gaza aid flotilla activists detained after Israeli forces intercepted their vessels have been released from an Israeli prison and deported, drawing renewed international scrutiny over Israel’s handling of humanitarian-linked attempts to reach Gaza.
Saif Abukeshek. a Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian origin. and Thiago Ávila. a Brazilian citizen. were taken to Shikma Prison after Israeli forces seized 22 boats carrying about 175 activists near Crete. Greece.. The trip included 58 vessels from Spain, France and Italy aiming to push through Israel’s aid blockade.
Hadeel Abu Salih. a lawyer for the human rights group Adalah who represented the activists. said the detentions involved what she described as a sham proceeding with no legal basis.. She argued the move was intended to punish the activists for challenging Israel’s blockade on Gaza and said it violated international law.. The activists, she added, were subjected to ill-treatment in Israeli custody.
Adalah said that ill-treatment included psychological abuse, including prolonged interrogations, constant bright lighting in cells, complete isolation, and transfers while blindfolded, according to the report. The account also said the two activists began a hunger strike as a result.
United Nations experts described abuse reported by at least 35 people who were later freed from the seized flotilla. including “severe mistreatment.” Those experts also raised concerns about sexual assault “that may amount to torture. inhumane and degrading treatment. ” underscoring the international legal and human-rights stakes surrounding the incident.
After arriving in Athens. Greece. Abukeshek said he could not compare what he experienced to the suffering of “thousands of Palestinian prisoners. children. women and men. ” according to his comments upon arrival.. He called on supporters to keep mobilizing in response to testimonies alleging daily violations and torture. while insisting that Palestinian prisoners should not be forgotten.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry. in a post on X. rejected the characterizations and called Abukeshek and Ávila “professional provocateurs.” The ministry said Israel would not allow any breach of what it described as the lawful naval blockade on Gaza. and it previously claimed the two were linked to an organization connected to Hamas.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition pushed back on that framing, arguing Israel has not produced evidence that would justify the accusations.. It said that if Israel’s claims about Hamas affiliation or unlawful activity were supported. Abukeshek and Ávila would not have been released without charges.. The coalition said the deportation and release further expose what it called politically motivated propaganda meant to justify violence against civilian flotilla participants and suppress growing global resistance to Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Before the activists were released. Spain and Brazil issued a joint statement condemning what they described as the abduction of their citizens in international waters by the Government of Israel.. Their intervention signaled growing diplomatic pressure from governments whose nationals were among those detained after the flotilla was intercepted.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition also said that Israel had previously deported and arrested members of another flotilla that attempted to reach Gaza in October 2025.. Amnesty International said it documented ill-treatment in that earlier episode as well. including sleep deprivation and denial of drinking water and medical care. raising questions about whether similar patterns occurred across different operations.
Meanwhile. members of the Global Sumud Flotilla said they are demanding explanations from European Union officials. and specifically Greece. after what they described as days of silence and complicity.. They said they are calling for immediate sanctions against Israel over what they termed the illegal abduction and ongoing violations of international law and the human rights of Palestinians.
The activists’ release has not ended the push for future attempts to reach Gaza.. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said Saturday that its movement will continue. even as the events near Crete intensify the debate over whether such flotillas are treated as legitimate humanitarian efforts or as security threats.
On Friday. the Global Sumud Flotilla departed Crete with more than 30 vessels bound for Turkey. which it described as a “technical stop” on the way to Gaza.. That plan suggests the campaign organizers intend to keep momentum while navigating the legal and diplomatic constraints that have followed the intercepts and arrests.
For U.S.. policymakers watching developments in Europe’s Mediterranean theater. the episode highlights the pressure points created when humanitarian-linked initiatives collide with naval blockades and regional security claims.. It also brings renewed attention to the role of third-party governments and institutions—especially within the EU—at moments when allegations of mistreatment and violations of international law risk escalating a highly charged political conflict with global repercussions.
Gaza aid flotilla Israeli detention Shikma Prison deported Crete interception international law violations Hamas-linked claims humanitarian blockade