Israel deported two activists on Sunday after detaining them for slightly over a week for leading an aid flotilla that attempted to break the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. The two individuals, Saif Abukeshek, a Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian origin, and Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian citizen, were among dozens of activists intercepted by the Israeli navy off the coast of Crete. Both are members of the Global Sumud Flotilla's steering committee, which aims to breach Israel's naval blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory.
Israeli Government Response
The Israeli Foreign Ministry referred to the two activists as "professional provocateurs" in a post on X on Sunday, stating, "Israel will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza." At the time of their arrest, Israeli authorities claimed they were detained for questioning, with Abukeshek "suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization" and Ávila "suspected of illegal activity," though no evidence was provided. No formal charges have been made public.
International Reaction
Spain and Brazil condemned what they described as "the kidnapping of two of their citizens in international waters by the Government of Israel" in a joint statement. The detentions sparked solidarity protests in several countries. In total, 22 boats and 175 activists were intercepted by the Israeli navy. Activists reported that Israeli forces stormed their vessels, smashed engines, and detained some of those onboard. The incident occurred hundreds of miles from Gaza and Israel overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.
Previous Flotilla Attempt
This latest attempt comes less than a year after Israeli authorities foiled a previous flotilla effort involving about 50 vessels and around 500 activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela, and several lawmakers. Israel arrested, detained, and later deported those participants, including Ávila, who claimed Israeli authorities abused them while in detention. Israeli authorities denied these accusations.
Israeli Strike in Gaza
In a separate incident, an Israeli strike hit a vehicle in Gaza, killing at least two people, including a Hamas police officer, according to the Nasser hospital, which received the casualties. The vehicle was struck late Sunday morning in the Al-Amal neighborhood of Khan Younis, as reported by the civil defense, a first responders' agency operating under the Hamas-run Interior Ministry. The two killed included Col. Wessam Abdel-Hadi, who heads the police investigation department in Khan Younis. The Israeli military said it was reviewing the strike.
Ceasefire Context
These fatalities are the latest among Palestinians in the coastal enclave since a fragile ceasefire deal in October attempted to halt a more than two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the shaky ceasefire has seen almost daily Israeli fire. Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing at least 850 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are generally considered reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts, though it does not distinguish between civilians and militants. Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to those and other violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.
—Associated Press writer Renata Brito in Barcelona, Spain contributed to this report.
