DaysofPal- Israeli occupation forces have deported activists Thiago Avila and Saif Abu Kishk, participants in the “Sumud Flotilla” intercepted by the Israeli navy in international waters, following weeks of detention during which rights groups say they were subjected to physical abuse, psychological intimidation, and harsh pressure.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that Avila and Abu Kishk had been deported after undergoing interrogation by Israeli authorities.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X, the ministry said Israel “will not allow any breach of the naval blockade imposed on Gaza.”
On Saturday, Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, informed the legal team of the Adalah Legal Center that authorities intended to release the two activists after more than a week in detention.
Adalah stated that Israeli authorities transferred Avila and Abu Kishk to immigration custody, where they remained detained until deportation procedures were completed. The legal team said it continued to monitor the case to ensure the release order was carried out.
The center stressed that the activists had been held “illegally” since Israeli naval forces intercepted the vessel they were traveling on in international waters on April 30.
According to Adalah, both activists were subjected to complete isolation and punitive detention conditions despite participating in a civilian and humanitarian mission. The organization added that the pair had maintained a hunger strike since the moment of their detention.
The center also noted that Saif Abu Kishk escalated his protest on May 5 by refusing to drink water.
Adalah emphasized that the vessel sailed under the Italian flag, placing it under Italian jurisdiction, and argued that intercepting the ship and detaining the activists constituted “a clear violation of international law.”
The organization added that the Italian government had condemned the Israeli action and described it as “illegal.”
The “Global Sumud Flotilla” is a civilian initiative launched in 2025 with the participation of activists and civil society organizations from multiple countries. The campaign aims to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and challenge the blockade imposed on the territory, following repeated previous attempts that ended with ships being intercepted and participants detained.
According to flotilla organizers, the movement included 345 participants from 39 countries, including Turkish citizens, as part of an ongoing international civilian initiative launched in 2025 to break the blockade on Gaza.
The latest mission followed an earlier attempt in September 2025 that ended with a similar interception in October of the same year and the arrest of hundreds of activists.
The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007, with around two million Palestinians facing severe humanitarian conditions after losing their homes during the war.
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