The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail from Barcelona with 58 vessels and delegations from over 50 countries, aimed to break Israel's naval blockade and deliver aid to Gaza. m. local time, according to the flotilla's website.
" All but two of the detained activists were released in Crete, Greece, where Greek authorities prepared to receive them and offered diplomatic assistance for their return home. The two men still held, Saif Abukeshek and Thiago Ávila, were taken to Israel for questioning. Israel's foreign ministry said Abukeshek is suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization and Ávila of illegal activity, accusing both of maintaining ties with Hamas through the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad.
The GSF called for the immediate release of Abukeshek and Ávila, describing them as 'illegal abductees'.
An Israeli court extended their detention by six days, according to human rights group Adalag, though they have not been charged. The flotilla organizers denounced the operation as "piracy" and called the two men "illegal abductees," demanding their immediate release. Activists described a violent raid.
Two British participants, Alice Chapman and Zak Khan, said they were beaten by Israeli forces and hospitalized. Khan said he was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet and beaten by four soldiers, while Chapman said a soldier punched her. They reported being held in harsh conditions on an Israeli prison ship, including sleeping in shipping containers, extreme temperatures, water deprivation, and stun grenades.
The GSF denounced the Israeli action as 'piracy'.
Some detainees were put in solitary confinement and beaten; one named Richard was badly beaten inside a container, according to Khan. The flotilla group said 35 activists needed medical treatment, and 34 were taken to hospital upon release in Crete, three by ambulance. The group also shared footage appearing to show activists with hands raised, saying they were threatened at gunpoint.
Representatives for Abukeshek and Ávila accused Israeli authorities of abuse and said the two have been on hunger strike for six days. The flotilla alleged they were tortured on the Israeli naval vessel Nahshon, with eyewitnesses testifying to hearing Abukeshek's screams. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar confirmed the interception and said participants were unharmed, directly contradicting the activists' accounts.
Israel's foreign ministry called the flotilla a 'PR stunt'.
Spain and Brazil issued a joint statement condemning the "abduction" of their citizens in international waters. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called the detention "illegal" and said Abukeshek should have been released in Crete. Spain summoned the Israeli embassy head to convey condemnation.
" Italy also condemned the action. The UN called on Israel to immediately release the two men and investigate "disturbing accounts" of severe mistreatment, with rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan stating it is not a crime to show solidarity and bring humanitarian aid to Gaza. " Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said Swedes participating take a conscious risk and the foreign ministry cannot provide consular assistance at sea.
The United States backed Israel's interception, with a State Department spokesman calling the flotilla a 'meaningless political stunt'.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade urged Australians not to join flotillas and to deliver aid through established channels. Six Australians were detained and later released in Crete; three were hospitalized for injuries. According to the Daily Mail, the three said they would hunger strike until the health and whereabouts of the remaining detainees were confirmed.
Among them, Zack Schofield is believed to be one of the Australians detained, according to Rising Tide. Social media posts show him on a vessel called Jabalia with hands raised as armed figures come aboard. Earlier posts indicated a warning was broadcast ordering the vessel to turn back or face enforcement measures.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called the detention 'illegal' and said Abukeshek should have been released in Crete.
According to the Newcastle Herald, Schofield's mother Joanne Jaworowski said she woke to the news of the interception and described her son as her only child, on the flotilla to deliver food and medicine to the sick and starving in Gaza. She called for the Australian government to secure his safety and that of the other Australians. His father, Professor Peter Schofield, described the flotilla participants as brave and extraordinary, saying the family celebrates their courage and wishes them strength.
Rising Tide organizer Campbell Knox told the Newcastle Herald the group had little direct communication with Schofield or Floyd aside from a few final messages and the footage. The exact legal basis for Israel's continued detention of Abukeshek and Ávila remains unclear, and no charges have been filed. The full extent of injuries and mistreatment has not been independently verified.
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said Swedes participating in the flotilla take a conscious risk and the foreign ministry cannot provide consular assistance at sea.
The fate of the seized humanitarian aid and boats is unknown.
The UN said it is not a crime to show solidarity and bring humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon called the flotilla 'provocative'.
Mr Schofield's mother Joanne Jaworowski said she woke to the news that her son's vessel had been intercepted.
Ms Jaworowski stated that Zack is her only child and he is on the flotilla to deliver food and medicine to the sick and starving in Gaza.
Ms Jaworowski called for the Australian government to secure her son's safety and the safety of the other Australians.