Seven activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla have returned to the United Kingdom, recounting harrowing experiences of beatings and mistreatment by Israeli soldiers. The group was detained when their flotilla attempted to breach Israel's naval blockade of Gaza. Fifty boats were intercepted in international waters, approximately 250 miles off the Israeli coast.
Activists Describe Brutal Treatment
According to the activists, they were transferred onto military vessels and taken to a larger military ship at the Ashdod port in southern Israel. There, they were held in containers. Katy Davidson, 49, from Cornwall, displayed marks from handcuffs and told the BBC, 'When I asked them to loosen them, they said they didn't care. They didn't care about human rights or whether I lost my hand.'
Hannah Schafer, a 62-year-old sailing instructor, described the ships as 'prisons' and alleged that the group was 'systematically tortured and abused.' One activist was seen with cuts and bruises on his back as he walked topless through Istanbul airport, flashing a peace sign.
Italian Journalist and Lawmaker Also Affected
Italian journalist Alessandro Mantovani, who was flown home earlier, said he was beaten upon arrival in Israeli detention. He described the container as a 'place of terror.' 'They beat you up means they kicked me in the legs and punched me in the face. These are people who know what they are doing, so I don't have any major visible marks... They would beat you up and would tell you 'Welcome to Israel',' he told reporters at Rome's Fiumicino airport.
Dario Carotenuto, an Italian lawmaker from the 5-Star Movement, said he was punched in the eye and kicked while detained.
Israel's Response
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the detainees were treated 'appropriately and respectfully.' They stated, 'No specific incidents of deviation from these binding procedures are known within the IDF. Any concrete complaints submitted to the IDF on the matter will be examined thoroughly.'
A video released earlier by Israel showed protesters handcuffed behind their backs, kneeling face down on the floor in rows. Israel's national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, was seen smirking and taunting the detainees, telling them they should be imprisoned for a long time.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that while Israel has every right to stop 'provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters,' Ben Gvir's handling of the situation 'is not in line with Israel's values and norms.'
