Gaza flotilla activists allege abuse by Israeli forces while detained

Pro-Palestinian activists who were expelled after their Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla was intercepted in international waters by Israeli forces have claimed they were victims of abuse during their detention.

Canada said it had received reports of “appalling abuse” against its citizens, while Germany and Spain confirmed a number of their citizens had been injured.

Flotilla organizers claimed there had been “at least 15 cases of sexual assault”, while others arrested said they had been beaten and mistreated.

The BBC has not been able to independently verify these claims. The Israeli Prison Service dismissed them as false, saying all detainees were “held in accordance with the law.”

The Israeli military has also been contacted for comment.

Warning: This article contains details of alleged abuse that some may find distressing.

More than 50 boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) left Turkey last week, aiming to break Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza and deliver food and medical aid.

The Israeli government called the action a “public relations stunt” in favor of the Palestinian armed group Hamas and ordered commandos to board the boats west of Cyprus on Monday and Tuesday.

The detained activists were transferred to Israeli ships and taken to an Israeli prison after arriving at the port of Ashdod.

On Thursday, 422 people from 41 countries were expelled by Israel. Since then, many have returned home.

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said on Friday that she had “received information from my officials which details the appalling abuses inflicted on Canadians detained in Israel”, without giving further details.

She added: “Canada unequivocally condemns the serious mistreatment of Canadians in Israel. Those responsible for these blatant abuses must be held accountable.

A German Foreign Ministry spokesman said its consular officials met with German activists on Thursday when they arrived in Istanbul and reported that a number had been injured.

The humane treatment of German nationals is a “top priority,” they added. “We are naturally awaiting a full explanation, as some of the allegations that have been made are serious.”

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told reporters that four of the 44 Spanish activists had received medical treatment for their injuries.

Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla also said Friday: “At least 15 cases of sexual assault, including rape. Rubber bullets were fired at close range. Dozens of people suffered broken bones.”

In a statement, the Israeli Prison Service said various allegations were “false and completely without factual basis.”

“All prisoners and detainees are detained in accordance with the law, with full respect for their fundamental rights and under the supervision of professional and trained prison staff,” the statement said.

“Medical care is provided according to professional medical judgment and in accordance with Ministry of Health guidelines.”

A number of activists also detailed their allegations when speaking to journalists after their expulsion.

Returning to Paris on Friday, French activist Meriem Hadjal told journalists that she had been “subjected to sexual violence and touching.”

She added: “I was punched, slapped, touched, kicked in the ribs, had my hair pulled out. I was traumatized for hours.”

Two Italians among the activists expelled on Thursday – Alessandro Mantovani, a journalist with the newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano, and Dario Carotenuto, a deputy for the Five Star Movement – told journalists about their treatment upon arrival in Rome.

Mantovani said he was beaten by Israeli forces after being taken to a detention center built from shipping containers, which he described as a “place of terror.”

At Istanbul airport, British activist Richard Johan Anderson told reporters: “We have been beaten, tortured, systematically dehumanized, and… we have just had a small taste of what Palestinians go through every day.”

Adalah, an Israel-based detainee rights group, said earlier that there had been “serious and widespread injuries”, and that at least three people had been taken to hospital for treatment.

The group said its lawyers, who spoke to hundreds of activists at the Ashdod port, had received “a large number of complaints of extreme violence” from Israeli authorities.

Earlier in the week, Israel was condemned by more than 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, in response to a video shared by far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who oversees Israel’s prison service and police.

The video showed him taunting dozens of activists as they were forced to kneel with their hands tied and their foreheads touching the ground. The activists were also seen brutally handled by Israeli security forces.

This sparked rare criticism of Ben Gvir’s actions from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said they were “not consistent with Israel’s values.”