10/6/25
Testimonies reveal ‘torture, humiliation’ of flotilla activists in Israeli prisons
Testimonies reveal ‘torture, humiliation’ of flotilla activists in Israeli prisons
Israel’s national security minister said he was glad that the activists were being ‘treated like terrorists’ under his policy
Pro-Palestinian activists who were on board the Global Sumud Flotilla reported being mistreated by Israeli authorities following their arrest last week.
One Spanish activist, Goretti Sarasibar, told Reuters after his deportation that the detainees were forced to watch videos of Hamas’s attack on 7 October 2023.
“They didn’t give us food all day,” he said. “Now we are super happy eating, as we were starving.”
Dutch activist Marco Tesh said he could not breathe at one point “because they put something to my face and they tied my hands to my back.”
Another one of the deported activists, Rafael Borrego, said, “At any time that any of us called a police officer, we risked that seven or more fully armed people entered to our cell, as they did on mine, pointing us with weapons at our heads, with dogs ready to attack us, and being dragged to the floor.”
Nineteen Swiss nationals were also on board the flotilla. Nine of them arrived in Geneva on Sunday after being deported, describing “inhumane detention conditions and the humiliating and degrading treatment” by Israeli authorities.
Italian activist Cesare Tofani reported upon arrival in Rome that he and other flotilla participants were “treated terribly” and “harassed.”
“They even treated us violently, pointing weapons at us, and this is absolutely unacceptable for us in a country that considers itself democratic,” said Yassine Lafram, the president of the Union of Islamic Communities in Italy, who landed at Milan Malpensa Airport with other deported activists.
Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said he and others were treated “like monkeys,” and that Israeli police and soldiers “ridiculed” and “laughed at” the detainees.
Another Italian journalist, Lorenzo D’Agostino, said that his belongings and money were “stolen by the Israelis.”
“You weren’t allowed to look them in the face, always had to keep your head down and when I did look up, a man … came and shook me and slapped me on the back of the head. They forced us to stay on our knees for four hours,” activist Paolo De Montis told AP.
“They are very, very cruel,” said Malaysian sisters Heliza and Hazwani Helmi.
“Can you imagine we drank from the toilet water? Some people were very, very sick, but they [the Israelis] said: ‘Are they dead? If not, then that’s not my problem,’” Hawzani told Turkish media.
“I ate on 1 October. Today is my first meal. So, for three days, I did not eat – only drank from the toilet,” Heliza said.
A Norwegian activist said, “They put us in the heat and didn't give us water. They made sure we were uncomfortable. When we tried to sleep, they placed police officers to shout at us. They tortured us.”
At least two female activists reported having their hijab removed forcefully.
Over 500 activists were on board the 47 boats that reached the shore of Gaza last week in an attempt to break the siege and deliver aid to starving Palestinians.
Among them were Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela, and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Around 170 have been detained so far.
Ersin Celik, a Turkish journalist and one of the activists onboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, told Turkish CNN on Saturday that the Israelis “tormented” Greta Thunberg, who is autistic.
He said he saw this with his “own eyes,” adding that they dragged her on the ground and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag.
“The claims regarding the mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the Hamas–Sumud flotilla are brazen lies. All the detainees’ legal rights are fully upheld. Interestingly enough, Greta herself and other detainees refused to expedite their deportation and insisted on prolonging their stay in custody. Greta also did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations – because they never occurred,” said the Israeli Foreign Ministry on 5 October.
Minutes after the Israeli Foreign Ministry denied allegations that Thunberg was mistreated, Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, came out and said, “I am proud that the flotilla activists are being treated as terrorists. This is my policy.”
Ben Gvir is in charge of Israel’s policing and prison system and is behind the surge in brutality against Palestinian prisoners over the last few years.
“I am proud of the prison staff acting in accordance with the policy set by Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi and myself. I was on their ships; I saw neither aid nor humanity. I visited Ktzi'ot Prison and was proud that we treated the flotilla activists as supporters of terrorism. Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the same conditions applied to terrorists,” Ben Gvir added.