Israel to Release Two Activists from Gaza Aid Flotilla
Danai Nesta Kupemba
Israel will release two activists from the humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza, who were detained by Israeli forces, according to a statement from the human rights organization Adalah. The activists, Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila, are expected to be freed on Saturday and handed over to immigration authorities for deportation.
Israel will release two activists from the humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza, who were detained by Israeli forces, according to a statement from the human rights organization Adalah.
Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish-Palestinian national, and Thiago Avila, a Brazilian, are to be freed on Saturday, Adalah said, acting as their legal representatives. They will be handed over to the immigration authorities and detained pending deportation.
Lawyer Hadeel Abu Salih, who jointly represents the two activists before Israeli courts, told Al Jazeera they are “expected to be released to their countries in the coming days.” Adalah said it is “closely monitoring” the situation to ensure a smooth release.
Abu Keshek and Avila were among dozens of activists traveling to Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off the coast of Greece. While 168 other flotilla members were taken to the island of Crete and released, the two were brought to Israel and held for further questioning.
The ship was part of a humanitarian effort to reach Gaza with aid amid the ongoing war and Israeli blockade. Lawyer Abu Salih described the seizure as a “clear violation of international law.”
Throughout the process, the lawyer stated, the legal team “argued that the entire procedure was a show trial, without legal basis, intended to punish them for daring to challenge Israel’s illegal blockade.” During their detention, Abu Kushek and Avila were “held in complete isolation under harsh conditions, despite the purely civilian nature of their mission,” Adalah said.
Both activists went on hunger strike, with Abu Keshek escalating his protest by refusing to drink water from Tuesday. Israel has been accused of mistreatment, but denies the allegations. On Tuesday, an Israeli court extended their detention until Sunday without filing any charges, though they face allegations related to “terrorist organizations and foreign spies,” Adalah previously told Al Jazeera.
Lawyer Abu Salih dismissed Israel’s claims, saying the two are detained on “baseless allegations and subjected to ill-treatment.” “Israel’s actions in this case, including the illegal interception and abduction, arbitrary detention and torture, constitute serious violations of international law, facilitated by the impunity Israel continues to enjoy,” she said.
