The Council on American-Islamic Relations demands immediate freedom for all Gaza flotilla activists who remain under Israeli detention after Israeli forces intercepted humanitarian ships in international waters last week.
The six international participants from the Global Sumud Flotilla are in Israeli detention after Israeli forces intercepted humanitarian vessels in international waters during the previous week. The detention persists, although more than 450 activists, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, have been deported from the largest civilian maritime convoy in history, which sought to challenge Israel’s Gaza blockade.
Systematic Abuse Allegations in Detention
Detained activists experience physical mistreatment and psychological torture in Israeli facilities based on statements from deported participants and legal advocacy organizations. The Israeli legal center Adalah discovered physical mistreatment, dehumanizing treatment, humiliation, physical abuse, and inhuman treatment of some flotilla participants by soldiers during and after the interception through methods that included kicking, slapping, hair pulling, and aggressive grabbing.
Activists were reportedly “forced into stressful positions, including being made to kneel for hours with their heads down and hands restrained behind their backs, or to sit on their knees for extended periods, in some cases while exposed to the sun”. Italian activist Federico D’Agostino testified that Thunberg was “forced to kneel on concrete before an Israeli flag and was consistently surrounded by flags while in detention” with police and soldiers frequently photographing her.
Six Activists Remain in Israeli Custody
The Adalah Legal Center reports that six international activists from Norway, Morocco, and Spain continue to stay in Israeli detention facilities as of Tuesday, while the organization fights for their immediate freedom. The Global Sumud Flotilla participants who faced illegal detention by Israel during their Gaza-bound voyage remain under Israeli custody, according to Adalah.
The Israeli media announced that Spanish activist Reyes Rigo Cervilla received a one-week extension of his detention period. At the same time, Adalah lawyers requested to visit the detained activists if their detention continues. The legal center maintains that the current detention system operates as an illegal practice that requires immediate termination.
California’s CAIR chapter has specifically mobilized to secure the release of California residents among the detained activists, scheduling public meetings and characterizing Israeli military actions as “illegal kidnappings because they treat American citizens who joined the flotilla as prisoners”. The exact number of California residents facing detention remains unknown.
Global Diplomatic Backlash Intensifies
The international community has reacted with outrage to the interception because multiple countries have denounced Israel for its actions in international waters. The Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered the removal of all Israeli diplomats from Colombia. At the same time, he declared the interception as “an international crime by Netanyahu” and terminated the free trade agreement between Colombia and Israel.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry declared Israel’s actions illegal under international law while calling them maritime theft. The Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned the Israeli actions while he sought freedom for all Malaysian activists who are imprisoned. The Italian labor unions initiated a nationwide work stoppage on Friday, resulting in flight delays, train disruptions, and school closures in support of the detained activists.
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a statement demanding that “Israel must guarantee the safety and human rights of all individuals aboard the Conscience and other vessels of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition” intercepted in international waters. The UN experts stated that these interceptions took place in international waters, which fall outside of Israeli legal authority.
Second Flotilla Intercepted Within Days
The Israeli military blocked a second Freedom Flotilla Coalition convoy during Wednesday morning operations when they captured 140 activists who were on nine ships delivering medical aid and food to Gaza. The naval forces intercepted the ships at a distance of 120 nautical miles from Gaza while the vessels transported aid worth more than $110,000 through international waters. The ships intercepted by Israel carried medical supplies and nutritional assistance worth more than $110,000, which included respiratory equipment for hospitals in Gaza.
The second major flotilla stop occurred after Israeli forces detained more than 450 activists from 40 countries who sailed on 43 ships during the Global Sumud Flotilla between October 2 and 3. The repeated interceptions show that Israel uses legal methods to enforce its naval blockade, but activists view these actions as illegal under international maritime regulations.
Historical Context and Ongoing Blockade
The Gaza flotilla attempts represent the latest efforts in a 15-year campaign to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which began in 2007 following Hamas’s takeover of the territory. “Israel has maintained the blockade on Gaza, home to nearly 2.4 million people, for almost 18 years.” It has tightened restrictions since March 2025 by closing border crossings and blocking food and medicine deliveries.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has launched multiple attempts since 2010, but Israeli forces have consistently stopped all previous missions through the capture of every participant. The 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla reached its peak when Israeli commandos attacked the ships, which resulted in ten activist deaths that set a precedent for military strikes against humanitarian missions.
The Palestinian health organization reports that Israeli bombardments since October 2023 have resulted in more than 67,100 Palestinian deaths, primarily women and children, while making the enclave uninhabitable. The blockaded territory faces worsening food shortages and famine conditions, according to international organizations.