Who Are the Two Activists from the Gaza Aid Flotilla Detained by Israel?

Two activists from a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza have been brought before an Israeli court days after being detained along with 175 others on international waters near Greece. Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national of Palestinian origin, and Thiago Avila, a Brazilian, went on hunger strike while in custody but continued to drink water.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of over 50 vessels, set sail from France, Spain, and Italy on April 12 with the aim of breaking Israel's blockade of Gaza and delivering supplies to the devastated territory. Gaza has been under Israeli naval, land, and air blockade since 2005. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has tightened control over all access to the territory, which is home to 2.3 million people.

Who is Saif Abu Keshek?

Abu Keshek is a Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian origin, detained from the flotilla off the coast of Crete last Thursday. According to the Global Sumud Flotilla website, he lives in Barcelona and has organized Palestine solidarity movements across Europe for over 20 years. He and his wife have three children, aged one, four, and seven.

Before joining this year's flotilla, Abu Keshek served as the chief coordinator of the Global March to Gaza and is currently the president of the Global Alliance Against Occupation in Palestine, also representing the Intersindical Alternativa de Catalunya (IAC). He also serves on the secretariat of the Palestinian People's Conference Abroad and sits on the council of the European Trade Union Network for Justice in Palestine.

After his arrest, Abu Keshek was transferred to Shikma Prison in Ashkelon, a facility frequently accused of harsh treatment and torture, especially since Israel's war in Gaza began in 2023. The Global Sumud Flotilla stated that Abu Keshek was tortured on Saturday aboard an Israeli military vessel. The Israeli human rights organization Adalah visited the two men at Shikma Prison and reported they were subjected to physical violence and held in stress positions for hours. Abu Keshek reported being handcuffed, blindfolded, and forced to lie face down from the moment of his arrest, resulting in bruises on his face and hands. Avila was dragged across the floor and beaten so severely that he lost consciousness twice.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sent a message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding the release of the unlawfully detained Spanish citizen. Israel's actions have also drawn condemnation from governments and human rights groups, with Turkey's Foreign Ministry calling it 'an act of piracy.'

Who is Thiago Avila?

Avila is a Brazilian social environmentalist, 38 years old, with an 18-month-old daughter. He has been dedicated to Palestine solidarity for over 20 years and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. He was previously arrested in June 2025 and held in solitary confinement in Israel's Ayalon Prison. According to the Brazilian embassy, after this detention, Avila reported being tortured, beaten, and mistreated, with bruises on his face and pain in his shoulder.

What did the court rule?

On Sunday, a court in Ashkelon agreed to extend the detention of the two activists by two days for questioning, less than the four days requested by Israeli authorities. Miriam Azem, international advocacy coordinator at Adalah, said the court granted a two-day extension. The Global Sumud Flotilla stated that the transfer of civilians from international waters into detention, combined with credible allegations of torture and lack of due process, constitutes a serious violation of international law and must be addressed. The organization has called on governments, human rights groups, and media to demand their release.