Freedom Flotilla Reveals Details of Occupation's Torture of Spanish Activist in International Waters

The Global Freedom Flotilla announced on Sunday that Spanish activist of Palestinian origin, Saif Abu Kashk, was subjected to systematic and severe torture by Israeli occupation forces. The flotilla clarified that Abu Kashk was among those abducted whose boats were seized in international waters while attempting to reach the besieged Gaza Strip.

Human rights sources reported that last Thursday, the occupation army seized more than 20 boats carrying approximately 175 international activists in an act of piracy that occurred in international waters. The activists were forcibly taken for interrogation and trial, a move observers considered a blatant violation of maritime and international laws.

In a judicial development, an occupation court extended the detention of activists Saif Abu Kashk and Brazilian Thiago Avila for an additional two days, at the request of security agencies. This decision came despite international appeals for their immediate release, especially after the revelation of their tragic detention conditions.

The Freedom Flotilla stated in an official announcement that the illegal interception operation occurred less than 80 nautical miles west of the Greek island of Crete. The statement confirmed that Israeli forces abducted 175 civilians from 21 different boats and transferred them to military vessels belonging to their navy.

Testimonies collected by the flotilla indicated that the abducted activists were transferred to the Israeli ship named 'Nahshon,' where they were subjected to a series of physical and verbal assaults. Participants who were later released confirmed that Saif Abu Kashk was subjected to brutal torture while on board the military vessel.

Eyewitnesses reported horrific details of Abu Kashk's screams echoing throughout the ship, as occupation forces deliberately separated him from his colleagues to torture him. The flotilla described these practices as a dangerous escalation and an additional war crime added to the record of ongoing Israeli violations.

The flotilla revealed that the violent interception operation resulted in injuries to 36 international solidarity activists, necessitating their transfer to hospitals immediately upon their arrival at the Greek port of Ierapetra. Medical sources did not disclose the exact nature of the injuries but described them as resulting from the use of excessive force.

The Freedom Flotilla criticized the failure of legal and judicial interventions to prevent the forced transfer of civilians from waters near Greece to Israeli interrogation centers. It considered this incident an extension of the unjust siege policy imposed on the Gaza Strip for many years.

The statement emphasized that the forces practicing the policy of starvation against the people of Gaza are the same ones who tortured international solidarity activists who tried to provide humanitarian aid. It called on the international community and European governments to take a firm stance against these aggressions and demand the immediate release of the detainees.

The flotilla also demanded an international investigation into the role of the Greek authorities who allowed the Israeli ship carrying the abductees to depart from their territorial waters. It stressed the necessity of holding the occupation accountable for its violations of international law, including attacks on civilians in international waters.

For its part, the 'Adalah' human rights center demanded that the occupation authorities immediately disclose the whereabouts of Abu Kashk and Avila, emphasizing that their transfer to Israeli territory was illegal. The center described this operation as 'the abduction of foreign nationals' from international waters not subject to the occupation's sovereignty.

The occupation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged the detention of the aforementioned activists and their referral for investigation, while the rest of the flotilla participants were released last Friday. This incident comes amid the ongoing genocide war waged by the occupation on the Gaza Strip since October 2023.

The Gaza Strip has been suffering from a suffocating siege since 2007, which has led to the destruction of infrastructure and turned the lives of millions into a continuous hell. The recent war has resulted in the displacement of approximately 1.5 million Palestinians and the martyrdom and injury of hundreds of thousands, amid international silence regarding this humanitarian catastrophe.

The Freedom Flotilla concluded its statement by affirming that these aggressions will not deter international solidarity activists from continuing their efforts to break the siege on Gaza. It called on all free people in the world to intensify pressure on their governments to stop Israeli crimes and ensure the protection of humanitarian activists.

Horrific testimonies reported Abu Kashk's screams echoing throughout the military vessel while he was subjected to systematic torture after being separated from the rest of the solidarity activists.