World leaders are condemning Israel’s interception of a flotilla attempting to get humanitarian aid to Gaza, and calling for those still detained to be released.
Israeli forces seized 22 boats carrying around 175 activists near Crete, Greece. Most of the activists were disembarked in Crete, while two were sent to Israel for “questioning,” according to Israeli authorities. The BBC reported that the flotilla set off for Gaza two weeks ago, with a total of 58 vessels from Spain, France and Italy coming on the trip to break through Israel’s aid blockade.
The Global Sumud Flotilla confirmed in a statement that two activists, Spanish-Swedish citizen Saif Abukeshek, who is of Palestinian origin, and Brazilian citizen Thiago Ávila, were transferred to Shikma Prison in Askalan. Citing the Brazilian embassy, the flotilla said Ávila has been subjected to “torture, beatings, and mistreatment” during his detention.
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During a monitored visit, embassy officials reported seeing visible marks on Ávila’s face. Although he was examined by a doctor, “adequate medical care was not provided,” the flotilla said.
Abukeshek, the flotilla said, was tortured and severely abused aboard a military vessel before being transferred to the prison.
Both are now on a hunger strike. Ávila, the flotilla said, has not been informed of charges against him.
“Ávila and Abukeshek’s continued detention raises serious concerns of arbitrary detention, denial of due process, and violations of the absolute prohibition on torture under international law,” the flotilla’s statement said.
Israel also arrested and deported people on board another flotilla going to Gaza in October 2025.
Multiple other activists on the flotilla said they were injured by Israeli forces as well. One of them, Zack Schofield of Australia, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation some suffered concussions after being shot by rubber bullets. Shofield said a friend of his was beaten.
A spokesperson from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied this account to ABC.
Israel also deported and arrested members of a flotilla that tried to go to Gaza in October 2025. Amnesty International said in a statement that it documented ill-treatment and abuse of activists detained in that case as well, including sleep deprivation, denial of drinking water and medical care.
“Israel’s brazen and unlawful interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels and the arbitrary detention of dozens of activists underscores the dangerous consequences of decades of impunity for Israel’s ongoing atrocity crimes against Palestinians, including genocide in the Gaza Strip and apartheid, and its unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory,” the organization said in a statement.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry claimed that Abukeshek and Ávila are tied to an organization connected to Hamas.
“Both will receive a consular visit from the representatives of their respective countries in Israel,” the foreign ministry said on X.
Khaled Khiari, the UN’s assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, said in remarks to the Security Council earlier this week that the population in Gaza is still facing deadly Israeli strikes and dire humanitarian conditions despite a ceasefire agreement from last October.
“While some improvements in access and aid delivery have been observed in recent weeks, unpredictable access, limited operational crossings, and restrictions on critical humanitarian items termed ‘dual-use’ items by Israel continue to constrain the UN response,” Khiari said. “Food security remains a challenge, while essential services — particularly water, sanitation, and health — are again on the brink of collapse.”
In August, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification confirmed a famine in Gaza. Following the ceasefire agreement, 100,000 still experienced these conditions, the IPFSP said in December.
The governments of Spain and Brazil said in a joint statement that they “condemn in the strongest possible terms the abduction of two of their citizens in international waters by the Government of Israel.”
“This flagrantly illegal action by the Israeli authorities outside their jurisdiction constitutes a violation of international law, which may be invoked before international courts, and may constitute a criminal offence under our respective national laws,” the statement said.
Spanish President Pedro Sánchez said at a campaign event that he has three messages for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: that Spain will protect its citizens; that it will always defend international law and that “we demand the freedom of the Spanish citizen kidnapped on the flotilla.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office on Thursday called for the immediate release of all Italians who were “unlawfully detained.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Thursday several NYC residents were on the flotilla, and his team was in contact with state and federal partners to confirm their whereabouts and conditions.
“This is a brazen violation of international law,” he said. “Those detained must be released.”
The U.S. State Department, meanwhile, said the flotilla is a “meaningless political stunt” and threatened to use “available tools to impose consequences on those who provide support” to it.
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