Israeli forces intercepted a Gaza-bound flotilla in international waters near Greece. The operation, consisting of more than 50 vessels from France, Spain, and Italy, aimed to break the Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to the devastated Palestinian territory.
Among those intercepted were Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila, who were brought to Israel for interrogation. On Sunday, an Israeli court in the southern city of Ashkelon extended the detention of the two activists by two days for further questioning.
The activists testified to severe physical abuse amounting to torture. Thiago Avila reported being kept in isolation and blindfolded for days at sea, stating he had been beaten so badly in Israeli custody that he passed out twice.
The governments of Spain and Brazil issued a joint statement calling the detentions illegal. Spain's Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, demanded the immediate release of a Spanish-Swedish activist detained during the operation.