Flotilla Activists Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Ávila Appear in Israeli Court, Allege Torture and Hunger Strike

On May 3, 2026, Spanish-Palestinian activist Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila appeared before an Israeli court in Ashkelon after being detained since the Israeli interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla on April 29–30. Both activists alleged they had been subjected to abusive treatment amounting to torture during their detention — including forced stress positions, sleep deprivation, and threats — and both said they had begun a hunger strike to protest their detention without charge. The appearance came after Spain and Brazil had filed formal diplomatic protests the previous day. Lawyers for both activists, provided by Adalah (the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel), argued that their detention was illegal under Israeli law, UNCLOS, and international human rights law given that the interception occurred in international waters far beyond any blockade zone. The court extended both men's detention for an additional 72 hours over their lawyers' objections. The case attracted significant international attention, with Amnesty International calling their detention 'politically motivated punishment for challenging the Gaza blockade.' UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Alice Jill Edwards called on Israel to immediately release both activists and investigate the abuse allegations. The Greenpeace Arctic Sunrise, one of the intercepted vessels, remained in Israeli custody.