An Israeli court has rejected an appeal against the detention of two foreign activists who were intercepted by Israeli forces while traveling on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national of Palestinian origin, and Brazilian activist Thiago Avila were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla that aimed to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Israeli naval forces intercepted the vessel on Thursday off the coast of Greece. While other participants were taken to the Greek island of Crete and released, Abu Keshek and Avila were brought to Israel for interrogation.
On Tuesday, a court extended their detention until Sunday to facilitate further questioning.
Following the extension, legal counsel for the activists filed an appeal at the Beersheva district court. Lawyer Hadeel Abu Salih confirmed the court dismissed the challenge.
“Today, the district court of Beersheva denied our appeal and basically accepted all of the arguments that the state or the police have represented before the court and kept the previous decision,” Abu Salih said.
The activists appeared in court with their feet shackled. According to their legal team, both men have initiated a hunger strike. Reports from the courtroom described Abu Keshek as appearing exhausted, while Avila remained calm.
The Israeli rights group Adalah, representing the pair, characterised the court’s ruling as “unlawful and unreasonable”.
The organisation argued that the arrest took place on an Italian-flagged vessel in international waters, which places the activists under Italian jurisdiction.
Adalah further alleged that the men have faced abuse during detention. These claims include reports of Avila being held in a cold cell and both men being subjected to near-constant interrogation regarding the flotilla’s operations.
The detention has drawn international condemnation. The United Nations (UN), along with the governments of Brazil and Spain, have demanded their immediate release.
“It is not a crime to show solidarity and attempt to bring humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population in Gaza, who are in dire need of it,” UN rights office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said.
Al-Kheetan also called for an investigation into accounts of mistreatment and stated that the activists must be released unconditionally.
It may be noted that the flotilla originated from France, Spain and Italy, intending to challenge the blockade of Gaza.
Israel has maintained control over entry points to the territory since 2007.
