Israeli forces detained about 175 activists on board 22 ships. BBC I mentioned Friday that most of them were released in Greece.
Some members of the fleet said they were beaten and dragged while handcuffed. The Washington Post I mentioned 34 people – including citizens of Australia, Colombia, Italy, Ukraine and the United States – required medical care for broken ribs, noses and other injuries. The detained activists also said they were deprived of food and water and forced to sleep on floors that were deliberately flooded with water.
Flotilla organizers said 31 of the remaining ships would continue heading toward Palestine in an attempt to “break the illegal siege of Gaza.”
Two members of the Freedom Flotilla’s steering committee – Saif Abu Kishk and Thiago Avila – were transferred to Israel for questioning.
Abu Kishek is a Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian origin. Avila is Brazilian. The Israeli Foreign Ministry claimed that Abu Kishk was “suspected of belonging to a terrorist organization” and that Avila was “suspected of illegal activity.”
As is often the case with Palestinians it has killed, Israel has provided no evidence to support its claims against the accused.
Spain and Brazil have been outspoken critics of Israeli human rights crimes, and both countries are Officially joined The South African-led genocide case against Israel is currently before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Varoufakis male On X, Avila “distinguished himself with his repeated attempts to break Israel’s illegal and genocidal blockade of Gaza.”
The co-founder of the Democracy in Europe 2025 movement continued: “Unlike the rest of the kidnapped Al-Samoud flotilla crew, which was landed by the Israeli navy on the island of Crete, Saif and Thiago are being held and headed to an Israeli prison.” “This is a double violation of international law: First, Israel illegally kidnapped them at sea. Second, Israel is now violently and illegally transferring them to one of its notorious prisons.”
It is not known where Israel will send the two men. It was Avila previously held In Ayalon prison in Ramla, with other activists who were arrested from the prison Madeleine Last summer. Avila reportedly refused deportation papers and began a hunger strike, prompting prison authorities to place him in solitary confinement.
Although not as notorious as the Sde Teman military prison – where former inmates and Israeli staff described torture, rape, murder and other abuses against Palestinians – alleged human rights violations at Ayalon prison include torture, medical neglect and intentionally degrading conditions.
“Meanwhile, the Greek government is fully cooperating in Israel’s criminal conduct, effectively abandoning its search and rescue obligations and colluding with Israel to victimize the brave crews of the Al-Samoud Flotilla who, through their activism, steadfastly defend international law as well as the ruling of the International Court of Justice, which clearly and unequivocally declared that Israel’s ongoing naval blockade of Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal,” Varoufakis said on Friday.
He added: “Through their complicity and silence, the Greek government, the European Union, the mainstream media and the West in general are mocking and, in fact, destroying their supposed and highly publicized ‘Western values’.”
Varoufakis calls on the world to demand:
- Immediately release Saif and Thiago;
- Putting an end to Israel’s criminal behavior in international waters.
- Ending the illegal Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip; and
- That the Greek government and the European Union stop providing logistical and moral support for the genocide committed by Israel in Gaza and its ethnic cleansing campaigns in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
The Global Resilience Fleet echoed Varoufakis’ call, which called on “all governments to do everything in their power to pressure the Israeli regime to release all illegal abductees.”
Spanish officials, including Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, also denounced Thursday’s raid and demanded the release of flotilla activists while calling for an end to the EU-Israel Association Agreement, a bilateral framework for trade and economic policy.
“Israel is once again violating international law by attacking a civilian fleet in waters where it does not belong,” Sanchez said. He said On X. “Our government is doing everything necessary to protect and assist the detained Spaniards. But this is not enough. The EU must suspend the Association Agreement now and demand it. [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] “Netanyahu complies with the law of our seas.”
On the other hand, US State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott said condemned He described the flotilla as a “pro-Hamas initiative” and called on allied countries to “take decisive action against this senseless political ploy.”
The United States provides Israel with tens of billions of dollars in armed aid and diplomatic support, including repeatedly vetoing UN Security Council ceasefire resolutions in Gaza.
Israel insists its actions were legal. With its officials She was called over and over again the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea —Often abbreviated to San Remo Guide– To justify the interception and confiscation of fleet ships that were trying to reach Gaza on the high seas.
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of cities including Athens, Barcelona, Gaza City, Istanbul, Madrid, Milan, Naples, Paris and Rome on Thursday, where demonstrators showed their solidarity with members of the fleet and condemned Israel’s actions.
At the same time, Gazans continue to suffer from Israeli bombing and siege, which has led to the killing or wounding of more than 250,000 Palestinians and the forced displacement, starvation or injury of about two million others.
Earlier this week, UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari said He said Despite “some improvements in access and aid delivery… food security remains a challenge, while basic services, especially water, sanitation and health, are on the brink of collapse once again.”
Netanyahu and Yoav Galant, his former defense minister, are wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza, including murder and forced starvation.
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