The Israeli military on Wednesday intercepted another aid flotilla in the Mediterranean Sea which aimed to break Israel’s crippling siege of the Gaza Strip, which has led to the starvation deaths of hundreds of people.
The boats were intercepted 120 nautical miles off the coast of the Gaza Strip, with footage released by the organisers showing Israeli naval ships approaching the boats and jamming signals, and then Israeli soldiers storming the boats.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and the Thousand Madleens to Gaza (TMG) said that the crew were unarmed and had been captured. They were made up of activists, doctors, journalists and elected officials.
The Israeli army has also seized over $100,000 worth of humanitarian aid, including medicines, respiratory equipment, and nutritional supplies.
The flotilla organisers have since released pre-recorded videos of crew members on board, which were made in case the boats are illegally intercepted.
The crew called for their countries to request their immediate release, while holding up their passports.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said 145 activists were detained and transferred to an Israeli port, adding that they were taken for "processing" and are expected to be deported soon.
The FFC said its passengers were “being held in unknown conditions”.
This comes after the Israeli army intercepted a previous flotilla on Friday, with over 450 activists detained, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who has since, with most of the activists have been deported.
Inhumane treatment
Activists who have been deported detailed the mistreatment they faced at the hands of Israeli soldiers. Activists recall being denied food, water, and medical care while staying in squalid conditions.
Most recently, activists from Malaysia recalled the way they were treated by Israeli soldiers, including being forced to drink toilet water and women having their hijabs snatched by male forces.
Speaking at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Tuesday night, Malaysian influencer Farah Lee recalled having been stripped of her hijab, saying she used a t-shirt instead to cover her head, adding that her “religion and belief was besmirched”.
At the same time, Malaysian singer Heliza Helmi revealed she was denied water and food for hours, with her hands tied behind her back, being forced to drink toilet water instead.
Also, British activist Evie Snedker, speaking to Anadolu, revealed she was denied food, water and medication, including her EpiPen, with soldiers saying they did not care if she died.
Snedker also added that the Israeli male soldiers forcibly removed the hijabs of Muslim women in front of men.
Margaret Pacetta, one of the four Scots on board, said the Israeli soldiers took away her medication, including her inhaler and nebuliser and refused to give it back. They also took her glasses and hearing aids, and ripped off her necklace and her watch.
The flotilla passenger said that 18 people were given only 10 slices of cucumber, covered in ants, to eat, as well as four slices of stale bread. They were also sleeping on the floor with ants all over it, and were all tested for radiation poisoning.
Pacetta has since been taken to the hospital suffering from breathing difficulties overnight.
Jewish-American activist David Adler told Middle East Eye he and his detainees were beaten regularly, tied up, psychologically tortured and also denied food and medicine over the five days in Israeli prison.
Dutch activists and European lawmakers have also shared similar experiences.
Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has previously boasted of being “proud” of how the passengers have been treated, saying they “receive no special treatment”.
UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said his office had received “worrying information of ill treatment and violations” of flotilla activists in Israeli detention.
So far, six international activists remain in Israeli detention, according to Israeli legal centre Adalah.