Israeli Navy Intercepts Gaza-Bound Flotilla, Detains Activists
Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla en route to Gaza, detaining activists including Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Ávila for alleged illegal activities.
Israeli naval forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters near Greece, detaining approximately 175 activists attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Among those detained were Spanish-Swedish citizen Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian national Thiago Ávila, who have been transferred to Israel for questioning. The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that Abu Keshek is suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization, while Ávila is under investigation for alleged illegal activities.
The majority of the detained activists were rerouted to the Greek island of Crete, where they were released. The flotilla, comprising 22 vessels, set sail from Barcelona on April 12 with the aim of breaking Israel's blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian assistance.
Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares condemned the detentions as illegal, asserting that they occurred outside Israeli jurisdiction. Amnesty International criticized the interception, describing it as "brazen and unlawful," and expressed concern for the safety of the detained activists.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that both Abu Keshek and Ávila would receive consular visits from representatives of their respective countries.
The incident has heightened tensions between Israel and Spain, especially following Spain's formal recognition of Palestinian statehood in 2024.