Youssef Ajissa, the head of the International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza, on Friday relayed the testimonies of activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla who experienced violations by Israel while in detention following the interception of their humanitarian mission to Gaza.
Some militants who were able to testify confirmed that a number of participants had been subjected to “sexual violence, in addition to being beaten, tortured, handcuffed, and blindfolded,” said Ajissa to Anadolu.
He added that “Israeli violations included sexual assaults and harassment,” as well as physical violence, describing what happened as a “blatant violation of human dignity.”
“These violations reveal the true nature of the Israeli entity, its criminality and brutality, as well as the extent of its danger to the region and the world,” he stated.
Referring to what he described as “the weak international response to the incident,” Ajissa emphasized: “We were shocked by the lack of reaction and condemnation, especially from the European Union, regarding what the Zionist entity did.”
He added that “imposing sanctions on Israel has become a necessity, as it intensifies its violations in the absence of accountability.”
Ajissa also described Israeli actions as “an extension of violations” that Tel Aviv “commits in Gaza against international law and international institutions.”
Israel “displays its practices with impunity, in the absence of serious international action,” he also affirmed, questioning: “If these non-Arab and non-Muslim nationals were subjected to these violations, what is the situation of the population of Gaza and the occupied West Bank?”
He insisted that “the danger posed by this entity is immense.”
Youssef Ajissa called for the release of the two militants still detained, Brazilian national Thiago Avila and Spanish-Swedish national Saif Abu Keshek, noting that “Israeli authorities continue to hold and interrogate them for several days.”
He also demanded “protection for the ships that have set sail and those that will sail later to Gaza, as well as guarantees that they will not be attacked or subjected to piracy in international waters, nor harmed in the territorial waters of some European countries.”
The spring 2026 mission of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which aimed to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid, was intercepted by Israeli forces on April 29 off the coast of Crete.
Israeli forces intervened in international waters, attacking ships carrying activists about 600 nautical miles from Gaza and only a few miles from Greek territorial waters.
In total, 177 militants were detained and reportedly mistreated.
According to various reports, Avila and Abu Keshek, who have not been released since they were forcibly taken to Israel, allegedly faced severe physical violence and death threats during their interrogations.
Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million inhabitants on the brink of famine.
The Israeli army launched a brutal offensive on Gaza in October 2023, which has been ongoing for two years, resulting in over 72,000 deaths, more than 172,000 injuries, and massive destruction throughout the besieged territory.
*Translated from English by Mariem Njeh.
