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A few of the activists detained whereas attempting to achieve Gaza by sea have returned to their house international locations to explain mistreatment by the hands of Israeli guards, claims that Israel denies.
Some 450 activists had been arrested as Israeli forces intercepted the World Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 42 boats looking for to interrupt Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and ship a symbolic quantity of support to the famine-stricken territory. These detained between Wednesday and Friday had been dropped at Israel, the place many stay in jail.
The Israeli International Ministry mentioned it supplied voluntary deportation to the entire activists and those who stay in detention selected to remain there to be able to undergo a authorized deportation course of.
On his return at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport late Saturday, Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi mentioned Israeli troopers withheld medicines and handled prisoners “like monkeys.”
Israel’s International Ministry, in the meantime, mentioned the claims of mistreatment had been “brazen lies.”
Amongst these detained had been Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela and a number of other European lawmakers.
Tommasi mentioned Thunberg was singled out by Israeli forces after being arrested.
“We additionally noticed Greta Thunberg on the port, in that case together with her arms tied and an Israeli flag subsequent to her, only a mockery,” he mentioned. “Let’s say the mockery was a part of the verbal and psychological violence they at all times carried out, to be able to demean, ridicule and chortle in conditions the place there’s nothing to chortle about.”
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In a press release on social media, the ministry mentioned all detainees’ authorized rights had been “absolutely upheld,” including that Thunberg had not complained concerning the “ludicrous and baseless allegations — as a result of they by no means occurred.”
The interception of the flotilla got here as U.S. President Donald Trump tried to dealer a recent ceasefire initiative in Gaza, as he ordered Israel to cease bombing Gaza. Israel mentioned it had accepted Trump’s proposal, and Hamas has mentioned it accepts some facets. Negotiators are anticipated in Cairo on Monday.
One other Italian journalist, Lorenzo D’Agostino, mentioned detainees had been repeatedly woken through the two nights he spent behind bars. They had been additionally intimidated with canines and by troopers pointing the laser sights of their weapons at prisoners “to scare us,” he mentioned after touchdown at Istanbul Airport, the place 137 activists from 13 international locations arrived from Israel on Saturday.
D’Agostino added that his belongings and cash had been “stolen by the Israelis.”
Activist Paolo De Montis described being crammed into a jail van for hours together with his palms secured by zip ties.
“Fixed stress and humiliation,” he mentioned. “You weren’t allowed to look them within the face, at all times needed to hold your head down and after I did search for, a person … got here and shook me and slapped me on the again of the pinnacle. They pressured us to remain on our knees for 4 hours.”
Ben-Gvir ‘proud’ of therapy
In a press release, far-right Israeli Nationwide Safety Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir mentioned he was “proud” of the way in which employees behaved at Ketziot jail, a facility within the Negev desert.
“I used to be proud that we deal with the ‘flotilla activists’ as supporters of terrorism. Anybody who helps terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the situations of terrorists,” he mentioned.
“If any of them thought they might come right here and obtain a crimson carpet and trumpets — they had been mistaken. They need to get an excellent really feel for the situations in Ketziot jail and suppose twice earlier than they method Israel once more.”
The arrests led to criticism from a number of governments together with Turkey, Colombia and Pakistan. Greece, which had 27 of its nationals in Israeli custody, issued a “robust written protest” to Israel over the “unacceptable and inappropriate conduct of an Israeli minister.”
The criticism is believed to seek advice from footage of Ben-Gvir upbraiding the activists for supporting “terrorism” and mocking their support initiative after they had been introduced ashore on the southern port of Ashdod on Friday.
The Swedish International Ministry mentioned it had “acted intensively to make sure that the detained Swedes’ rights are noticed.”
The interception of the flotilla additionally led to large-scale demonstrations in cities the world over.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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