More Gaza flotilla activists allege mistreatment in Israeli detention

International activists deported from Israel aft joining an intercepted Gaza assistance flotilla person fixed further accounts of mistreatment by guards during their detention.

The latest claims made by participants successful the Global Sumud Flotilla added to the increasing scrutiny of Israel connected Sunday for its attraction of the activists.

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Some 450 participants successful the flotilla were arrested betwixt Wednesday and Friday arsenic Israeli forces intercepted the boats, which were seeking to interruption a naval blockade of Gaza and present a symbolic magnitude of assistance to Palestinians successful the besieged territory.

Speaking astatine Rome’s Fiumicino Airport connected his instrumentality connected Sunday, Italian activistic Cesare Tofani said, “We were treated terribly … From the army, we moved connected to the police. There was harassment,” ANSA quality bureau reported.

Yassine Lafram, the president of the Union of Islamic Communities successful Italy, who landed astatine Milan Malpensa Airport with the activists, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper: “They adjacent treated america violently, pointing weapons astatine us, and this is perfectly unacceptable for america successful a state that considers itself democratic.”

Italian writer Saverio Tommasi, who landed astatine Fiumicino Airport precocious connected Saturday, said Israeli soldiers had withheld medicines and treated the detained activists “like monkeys”, The Associated Press reported.

He said the Israeli guards mocked the detained activists – who included Swedish clime campaigner Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela, and respective European lawmakers – successful bid to “demean, ridicule and laughter successful situations wherever determination is thing to laughter about”.

Activists targeted with laser sights

Italian writer Lorenzo D’Agostino said that his belongings and wealth had been “stolen by the Israelis”.

Speaking to AP connected his accomplishment astatine Turkiye’s Istanbul Airport aft being deported from Israel connected Saturday, helium said helium had been repeatedly woken up by guards during the 2 nights helium spent successful detention.

He said the detained activists were besides intimidated with dogs and by soldiers pointing the laser sights of their guns astatine prisoners “to scare us”.

Another activist, Paolo De Montis, reported experiencing “constant accent and humiliation” astatine the hands of the guards, who kept him successful a situation van for hours with his hands secured by zip ties.

“You weren’t allowed to look them successful the face, ever had to support your caput down and erstwhile I did look up, a antheral … came and shook maine and slapped maine connected the backmost of the head,” helium told AP. “They forced america to enactment connected our knees for 4 hours.”

Deported activists from the flotilla had earlier spoken retired astir the mistreatment of Thunberg, 1 of the highest illustration members of the mission, successful particular, saying she had been “dragged connected the ground”, “forced to buss the Israeli flag”, and “used arsenic propaganda”.

‘Brazen lies’

Israel’s Foreign Ministry and its far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir gave conflicting responses to the activists’ allegations, with the ministry insisting the stories of ill-treatment were “brazen lies”, portion Ben-Gvir said helium was “proud” of the detainees’ harsh attraction successful Ketziot prison.

“I was arrogant that we dainty the ‘flotilla activists’ arsenic supporters of terrorism. Anyone who supports coercion is simply a violent and deserves the conditions of terrorists,” helium said successful a statement.

“If immoderate of them thought they would travel present and person a reddish carpet and trumpets – they were mistaken,” said Ben-Gvir, who was filmed taunting the activists arsenic they were brought ashore.

“They should get a bully consciousness for the conditions successful Ketziot situation and deliberation doubly earlier they attack Israel again.”

By contrast, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said that claims of mistreatment of Thunberg and different flotilla activists were “lies”.

“All the detainees’ ineligible rights are afloat upheld,” the ministry said successful a station connected X connected Sunday.

“Interestingly enough, Greta herself and different detainees refused to expedite their deportation and insisted connected prolonging their enactment successful custody. Greta besides did not kick to the Israeli authorities astir immoderate of these ludicrous and baseless allegations – due to the fact that they ne'er occurred.”

Israel’s arrests and attraction of the activists led to disapproval from countries including Pakistan, Turkiye and Colombia, and street protests astir the world, arsenic good arsenic a written protestation from Greece.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the state deported a further 29 flotilla activists connected Sunday, but galore stay successful detention successful Israel.

Spain’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Manuel Albares told nationalist broadcaster RTVE that 21 of the 49 Spanish detained flotilla activists were expected to instrumentality location connected Sunday; portion Greece’s Foreign Ministry said 27 Geek citizens were to instrumentality from Israel connected Monday.