Gaza flotilla activists allege abuse and humiliation while being detained in Israel

ROME (AP) — Some of the activists detained while trying to reach Gaza by sea have returned to their home countries to describe abuse and humiliation at the hands of Israeli guards.

Some 450 activists were arrested as Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 42 boats seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid to the famine-stricken territory. Those detained between Wednesday and Friday were brought to Israel, where many remain in prison.

Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers withheld medicines and treated prisoners “like monkeys.”

“This is called torture. It’s called torture, a denial of human rights, even the most basic ones,” he said on his return at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport late Saturday.

“They took away everyone’s medicine: people with heart disease, asthma, even an 86-year-old man… they took away his inhaler.”

Among those detained were Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela and several European lawmakers.

Tommasi said Thunberg was singled out by Israeli forces after being arrested.

“We also saw Greta Thunberg at the port, in that case with her arms tied and an Israeli flag next to her, just a mockery,” he said. “Let’s say the mockery was part of the verbal and psychological violence they always carried out, in order to demean, ridicule and laugh in situations where there is nothing to laugh about.”

The inteception of the flotilla came as U.S. President Donald Trump was appearing to be brokering a fresh peace initiative in Gaza, including a proposed ceasefire, as he ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza.

Another Italian journalist, Lorenzo D’Agostino, said detainees were repeatedly woken during the two nights he spent behind bars. They were also intimidated with dogs and by soldiers pointing the laser sights of their guns at prisoners “to scare us.”

“Overall, I felt I was being held by a terrorist organization,” he said after landing at Istanbul Airport, where 137 activists from 13 countries arrived from Israel on Saturday.

D’Agostino added that his belongings and money had been “stolen by the Israelis.”

Activist Paolo De Montis described being crammed into a prison van for hours with his hands secured by zip ties.

“Constant stress and humiliation,” he said. “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.”

In a statement, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was “proud” of the way staff behaved at Ketziot prison, a facility in the Negev desert.

“I was proud that we treat the ‘flotilla activists’ as supporters of terrorism. Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists,” he said.

“If any of them thought they would come here and receive a red carpet and trumpets — they were mistaken. They should get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they approach Israel again.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said the claims of mistreatment were “brazen lies.”

In a statement on social media, the ministry said all detainees’ legal rights had been “fully upheld,” adding that Thunberg had not complained about the “ludicrous and baseless allegations — because they never occurred.”

The arrests led to criticism from several governments including Turkey, Colombia and Pakistan. Greece, which had 27 of its nationals in Israeli custody, issued a “strong written protest” to Israel over the “unacceptable and inappropriate behavior of an Israeli minister.”

The complaint is thought to refer to footage of Ben-Gvir upbraiding the activists for supporting “terrorism” and mocking their aid initiative after they were brought ashore at the southern port of Ashdod on Friday.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry said it had “acted intensively to ensure that the detained Swedes’ rights are observed.”

The interception of the flotilla also led to large-scale demonstrations in cities across the world.

Wilks reported from Istanbul. Associated Press writers Natalie Melzer in Tel Aviv, Israel, Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece, Stefanie Dazio in Berlin and Khalil Hamra in Istanbul contributed.

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