Athens (QNN)- Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish-Swedish activist of Palestinian origin abducted by Israeli forces along with dozens of others aboard the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla vessels, said thousands of Palestinian detainees continue to endure suffering in Israeli prisons. Following his release from Israeli detention, he called for sustained international mobilization “until Palestine is free."
https://x.com/gbsumudflotilla/status/2053353550915555421?s=46&t=t_-JFgpXqgMIkVsuBfWELw
The rights group Adalah confirmed that Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila have been released freed and deported.
https://x.com/IsraelMFA/status/2053317156310237651
The Global Sumud Flotilla, including more than 50 vessels, set sail from France, Spain and Italy on April 12 in an effort to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian aid to the enclave, a home to about 2.3 million Palestinians, after two years of Israeli genocide and amid a fragile ceasefire.
However, Israeli forces intercepted 22 boats of the flotilla in international waters off the coast of Greece about two weeks ago and abducted the activists on board. All of those detained were later released, Abu Keshek and Ávila remained in Israeli custody.
Israel’s attack on the flotilla has prompted protests and condemnation from rights groups and governments. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs called it an “act of piracy”.
Who is Saif Abu Keshek?
Abu Keshek, a Spanish-Swedish national of Palestinian origin, was abducted from the flotilla near Crete. Based in Barcelona, he has spent more than two decades organizing pro-Palestinian solidarity efforts across Europe. He is also involved in several international advocacy networks and labour organizations focused on Palestinian rights, according to the flotilla website.
Born in a refugee camp in Nablus in the occupied West Bank, his parents were also tortured while in Israeli captivity.
Following his arrest, Abu Keshek was transferred to Shikma Prison in Ashkelon, an Israeli facility that has faced several reports of abuse, particularly since the start of the assault in Gaza in 2023.
According to testimonies gathered by the Israeli human rights group Adalah, Abu Keshek reported being handcuffed and blindfolded for extended periods, forced to lie face-down, and subjected to physical violence during his detention at sea.
These accounts were corroborated by statements from other released activists.
Spain condemned his abduction, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez calling for his immediate release and stressing the country’s commitment to protecting its citizens and upholding international law.
“We demand the release of the Spanish citizen who has been unlawfully detained by Netanyahu’s government,” he said.
He once said, “This is not a trip, nor is it tourism. At the same time, none of these risks is comparable-not even a fraction-to what Palestinians have faced every day since 1948.”
Abu Keshek’s wife called for people to mobilize and pressure the Spanish, Swedish, Greek and Italian embassies to secure her husband's and comrades' release.
She said that her husband Saif just spent his daughter's birthday in Israeli custody.
Who is Thiago Ávila?
Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian socio-environmental activist, has also been involved in Palestine solidarity work for more than 20 years. The 38-year-old is a member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s steering committee and has participated in previous missions challenging the Gaza blockade.
He had previously been detained by Israeli occupation authorities during a flotilla mission in 2025, when he was placed in solitary confinement for several days.
Following his latest detention, Ávila was also transferred to Shikma Prison. According to statements from the Brazilian embassy and the flotilla organizers, he reported being beaten and mistreated during his arrest. Officials who visited him noted visible injuries, including marks on his face and complaints of severe shoulder pain.
What Happened?
Last week, an Israeli court in Ashkelon approved the extension of the activists’ detention for further questioning.
Adalah, which is representing the two men, said their testimonies point to serious violations, including physical abuse and coercive detention conditions.
The Global Sumud Flotilla condemned the attack, describing the seizure of civilians in international waters and their transfer into Israeli custody as a breach of international law. The group has called for international pressure to secure the activists’ release.
Adalah said the offences include assisting the enemy during wartime, contact with a foreign agent, membership in and providing services to a terrorist organization, and the transfer of property for a terrorist organization.
Both men deny the allegations.
Adalah solicitors Hadeel Abu Salih and Lubna Tuma said before the court that the proceedings against the activists were “flawed and illegal”, stating that there is no legal basis for the “extraterritorial application of these offences to the actions of foreign nationals in international waters”.
Abu Salih added that both men were subjected to violence en route to Israel and were kept handcuffed and blindfolded until Thursday morning.
Israel accused Abu Keshek and Ávila of illegally working with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, which the United States claims it operates at the behest of Hamas.
The activists' lawyers said that there was no legal basis for the extraterritorial application of these offenses to the actions of foreign citizens in international waters.
The lawyer said throughout this ordeal, the legal team “argued that this entire process was a sham proceeding with no legal basis, intended to punish them for attempting to challenge Israel’s illegal blockade”.
During their detention, Abu Kushek and Avila were “held in total isolation under punitive conditions despite the purely civilian nature of their mission”, Adalah said.
Abu Salih dismissed Israel’s claims, saying that the pair were detained over “baseless accusations and subjected to ill-treatment”.
“Israel’s actions in this case, the unlawful interception and abduction, arbitrary detention, and torture, constitute grave violations of international law, enabled by the impunity Israel continues to enjoy,” she said.
