Two activists detained over leading an aid flotilla to Gaza are deported by Israel
Summary
Israel deported two activists after detaining them for trying to break its naval blockade of the Gaza Strip by leading an aid flotilla. The activists were stopped far from Gaza by the Israeli navy, and following their release, they said they would continue protesting the blockade.Key Facts
- Two activists, Saif Abukeshek (Spanish-Swedish) and Thiago Ávila (Brazilian), were deported by Israel after a week of detention.
- The activists were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which tries to break the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid.
- Israeli officials called the activists "professional provocateurs" and said they would not allow breaches of the blockade.
- Abukeshek was suspected of links to a terrorist group; Ávila was suspected of illegal activity, but no formal charges were made public.
- Spain and Brazil condemned Israel for detaining their citizens in international waters.
- The flotilla involved 22 boats and 175 activists, who were intercepted by the Israeli navy off the coast of Crete, hundreds of miles from Gaza.
- Past flotilla attempts have included well-known activists like Greta Thunberg and Nelson Mandela’s grandson.
- Separately, an Israeli strike in Gaza killed two people, including a Hamas police officer, amid ongoing tensions despite a fragile ceasefire.
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