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Activists detained erstwhile their flotilla attempted to breach Israel's naval blockade of Gaza accidental they person been mistreated astatine the hands of Israeli soldiers, describing beatings, tasers and onslaught dogs.
The Global Sumud Flotilla of 50 boats was intercepted successful planetary waters immoderate 400 kilometres disconnected the seashore of Israel, and activists on with journalists and astatine slightest 1 lawmaker from Italy were transferred onto subject boats and brought to a larger subject vas astatine the Ashdod larboard successful confederate Israel, wherever they were held successful containers, according to their accounts. They told The Associated Press they were punched and kicked, arsenic good arsenic dragged and pulled by their hair.
Israel's far-right information curate Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has called for deporting governmental opponents and was barred from mandatory subject work for his utmost views, sparked planetary outrage aft promoting a video of himself taunting activists from a flotilla to Gaza who were detained by his constabulary force. Foreign leaders person condemned his on-camera attraction of the detainees and respective countries summoned Israeli envoys to aerial their concerns.
Israel denies mistreatment. The allegations were “false and wholly without factual basis”, said Zivan Freidin, a spokesperson for the Israeli Prison Service.
Some 420 activists departed for Turkey connected Thursday (May 21, 2026) aft they were deported from Israel, galore wearing grey sweatsuits and Arab kaffiyehs.
The AP spoke to immoderate Thursday (May 21, 2026) and Friday (May 22, 2026)as they reached Istanbul, Athens and different European cities. Here are their accounts:
Zeynel Abidin Ozkan, Turkish flotilla committee member
He elaborate being held successful a instrumentality alongside different detainees soon aft the flotilla raid and helium said immoderate radical were taken extracurricular the containers wherever helium heard them being physically assaulted.
“We faced periods wherever we couldn't stand, our heads were bowed to the ground, we were dragged and pulled by our hair. The handcuffs near superior marks connected us.” After arriving astatine Ashdod port, Mr. Ozkan says helium was denied the close to interaction his lawyer, embassy officials oregon relatives backmost home. He describes being told to motion papers nether duress, which helium refused.
“When we refused to sign, they treated america similar prisoners, creating a file, taking photos, forcibly handcuffing our hands and feet with robust shackles. And then, with the soldiers, dragged america on the ground, surrounded by dogs, releasing the dogs connected us, earlier loading america into situation trucks.”
Christopher Boren, activistic from Hawaii
“When we got to Ashdod port, I was instantly grabbed by 5 IDF [soldiers] oregon constabulary officers. They enactment my caput down and started beating me. One of them had gloves connected with hardened integrative and helium started punching my look and it swelled shut,” helium said, showing his achromatic eye.
Alessandro Mantovani, Italian writer for the regular Il Fatto Quotidiano
“During the crossing, we were enactment connected our knees, blindfolded, and told to marque definite the blindfold didn't move. They repositioned excavation 30 times due to the fact that I kept trying to look around. And there's perfectly nary anticipation successful this concern to accidental I'm a subordinate of parliament' oregon I'm a journalist' — you're dealing with machines that shriek and travel their screaming with carnal gestures.
"They enactment you level connected the ground, past connected your knees, with zip ties connected your wrists. The blindfold, positive an further zip necktie securing your wrists down to a metallic structure, conscionable a fewer inches from the deck. So you're forced to question successful an highly uncomfortable presumption connected unsmooth concrete. And I had cramps successful my legs the full time, obviously.” After they were transferred to a vessel that was utilized for detention “the attraction became instantly much violent. We entered done this tiny hatch and were shoved and dragged by unit with our arms twisted down our backs, forced to kneel successful beforehand of a partition with our heads down”.
At 1 point, helium was thrown down “flat connected my stomach, hands down my back, look pressed, caput pressed against the soaking bedewed and soiled level of this vessel — pressed down with their feet — and past they pressed my hands down my back.” Once wrong the container, “I was kicked successful the shin. Honestly, I don't expect it. And they accidental 'Welcome to Israel.' Then a punch to the face, 1 from this side, 1 from that side. A closed-fist punch. I moved to get up and I got kicked successful the leg. A small jolt from a taser to the ribs. And past I marque it retired the different broadside of this instrumentality and scope the deck.” Mr. Mantovani said helium was besides portion searched, and his oculus glasses and wallet discarded. He and the activists connected his vessel threw their cellphones into the oversea erstwhile the Israeli boats approached, and helium didn't deterioration a ticker connected this ngo aft his was astir confiscated connected a erstwhile flotilla.
Yiannis Atmatzidis, Greek activist
“I was struck with a taser, beaten with punches and kicks, insulted and humiliated. On the situation vessel determination was a instrumentality that everyone had to walk through. You entered done 1 doorway and a radical of six oregon 7 radical would bushed you mercilessly until you emerged from the different side. Every azygous 1 of america went done that.” Mr. Atmatzidis said helium was being processed for recognition erstwhile Ben-Gvir was touring the situation ship.
“The Minister entered the country and asked maine wherever I was from. I replied, from Greece. He past asked wherefore I was there, and I told him that I had travel to present humanitarian assistance to radical who needed it. He responded, 'Are you a person of Hamas?' I explained that our ngo had nary governmental docket and was purely humanitarian. He was surrounded by 4 equipped guards who aimed their weapons and laser sights astatine maine portion I sat determination handcuffed down my back.” He added: "Whenever we told them that circulation was being chopped disconnected and our hands were going numb, they showed perfectly nary mercy. I bash not person the words to picture the brutality and cruelty of these people. It is thing I volition ne'er forget.”
