0
Israel extends detention of two Gaza flotilla activists
May 3, 2026
Posted 3 hours ago by
Two activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla – Brazilian environmentalist Thiago Avila and Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek – have been detained by Israel after their boats were intercepted in international waters. The flotilla, carrying more than 170 activists and humanitarian aid, had set sail from Europe in April with the aim of breaking Israel's blockade on Gaza.
Israeli naval forces seized 22 boats on 29 April, transferring the activists to Greek vessels; most were deported via Crete, but Avila and Abu Keshek were taken to Israel. Their lawyers say both men have been subjected to torture and violence, and their detention has sparked protests in several countries. Spain's prime minister has condemned Israel's actions as a violation of international law. Al Jazeera’s Michael Appel reports. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile #Israel #GlobalSumudFlotilla #FreedomFlotillaCoalition #Palestine #Gaza #GazaCeasefire #GazaBlockade #GazaHumanitarianAid #GazaSiege #SaifAbuKeshek #ThiagoAvila #Adalah #IsraeliTorture #AlJazeeraEnglish
Al Jazeera English
Coverage and analysis from Qatar. All insights are generated by our AI narrative analysis engine.