Israeli court extends detention of two Gaza flotilla activists by six days

TEL AVIV: An Israeli court on Tuesday extended the detention of two foreign activists taken from a Gaza-bound flotilla by six days, according to their lawyer.

Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila appeared before a court in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon for a second hearing after being brought to Israel for questioning last week. Their lawyer said the extension was granted to give police more time to interrogate them.

The two men are being held in a prison in Ashkelon. They were among dozens of activists aboard a flotilla headed for Gaza that was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off the coast of Greece early on Thursday. The other detained activists were taken to the Greek island of Crete and released.

The flotilla had departed from France, Spain and Italy in an effort to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian territory, which has been devastated by war.

At an earlier hearing on Sunday, the court had extended the pair’s detention by two days. During Tuesday’s proceedings, both men appeared with their legs shackled, an AFP journalist reported.

Lawyers allege abuse in detention

Hadeel Abu Salih, a lawyer with the Israeli rights group Adalah, which is representing the two activists, said, "The court granted a second extension … a six-day extension, which means the next hearing will be on Sunday."

She added, "The court gave the police what they asked for and gave them the green light to continue with this illegal measure."

Abu Salih said the extension followed a police request for more time to question the pair. She said Adalah viewed the case as an attempt to target solidarity efforts linked to Palestinians and efforts to challenge the Gaza blockade.

According to Abu Salih, the two activists said Israeli police were repeatedly trying to link the humanitarian aid mission to Hamas. She said, "We have been told by Thiago and Saif that they (Israeli police) are trying all the time to connect the humanitarian aid with Hamas to present it as a service to Hamas."

She also said bringing the pair before a civilian court was intended to deter future participation in flotilla missions. Abu Salih further said the two activists were facing

psychological torture

in detention.

In a separate statement, Adalah alleged that the men were being held in

total isolation, subjected to 24/7 high-intensity lighting in their cells and kept blindfolded whenever they were moved, including during medical examinations.

adding that both had been on hunger strike for the past six days.

Israeli authorities reject allegations

Israeli authorities have rejected the abuse allegations. According to Adalah, the authorities have accused the two men of several offences, including

assisting the enemy during wartime

and

membership in and providing services to a terrorist organisation

. No formal charges have been filed so far.

Adalah’s lawyers have challenged Israel’s jurisdiction in the case, arguing that the two activists were subjected to an

unlawful abduction

in international waters.

Israel’s foreign ministry has said both men were affiliated with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, or PCPA, a group that Washington has accused of

clandestinely acting on behalf of

Hamas. The ministry said Abu Keshek was a leading member of the group, while Avila was also linked to it and was

suspected of illegal activity

.

The Global Sumud Flotilla’s first voyage last year was also intercepted by Israeli forces off the coasts of Egypt and Gaza. Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, which has been under Israeli siege since 2007. During the war in Gaza that began in October 2023, the territory has faced shortages of essential supplies, with Israel at times halting aid entirely.