Detention of two activists from Gaza aid flotilla extended in Israel

An Israeli court has extended the detention of two activists who were captured by the Israeli navy as it intercepted a flotilla aiming to bring aid to Gaza earlier this week in international waters off Crete.

The court in the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon ordered a two-day extension of the men’s detention, Adalah, the human rights organization representing them, said on Sunday.

Adalah described the detention of Spanish national Saif Abukeshek and the Brazilian Thiago Ávila by Israel as an “unlawful abduction.”

Spain and Brazil, in a joint statement on Friday, called Israel’s detention of the two “flagrantly illegal” and have demanded their immediate release.

However, an Israeli court spokeswoman confirmed that the judge has ordered the detention to be extended until Tuesday.

Israel accuses Abukeshek, who has Palestinian roots, of links to the militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Ávila has been accused of “illegal activities.” No concrete evidence has been presented so far.

On Wednesday night, the Israeli navy intercepted 21 ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters west of Crete and captured 175 people. Greece subsequently agreed to take in the individuals and facilitate their return to their countries of origin.

Adalah’s lawyers argued in court that the entire proceedings were unlawful. They questioned the state’s jurisdiction and argued that there was no legal basis for applying criminal offences to the actions of foreign nationals in international waters.

Furthermore, they said that the detainees were apprehended without legal basis and suffered severe mistreatment, including torture, at the hands of Israeli forces.

The activists were to be returned to a detention centre near Ashkelon and have begun a hunger strike in protest to their treatment, the lawyers said.