Gaza Herald _ Activists aboard the Gaza-bound Global Sumud aid flotilla were subjected to electric shocks, severe physical abuse, sexual humiliation, and other forms of mistreatment while in Israeli detention, according to testimonies gathered by the Israeli human rights organization Adalah.
The accusations emerged amid widespread international outrage following the circulation of a video published by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, in which he appeared overseeing the humiliation of detained activists after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla in international waters while it was heading toward Gaza.
Confirmation of Sexual Violence
Several flotilla participants were reported to have been subjected to sexual violence, including rape, according to statements made by Steering Committee member Thiago Ávila upon the release of detained activists. He said these accounts emerged from testimonies documented by released participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla detainees.
Legal Documentation by Adalah
In a statement released Wednesday, Adalah said its legal defense team provided legal consultations to hundreds of activists detained after Israeli authorities intercepted both the Freedom Flotilla and the Global Sumud flotilla.
The organization stated that lawyers documented testimonies describing severe violence, psychological abuse, sexual humiliation, and serious injuries inflicted on detainees by Israeli forces.
According to Adalah, its legal team collected multiple matching testimonies documenting repeated use of electric shocks against activists during detention. The organization added that many detainees reported being forced into painful and degrading positions during their transfer to Ashdod Port, including walking while completely bent forward and kneeling for extended periods.
The rights group also accused Israeli authorities of forcibly removing the headscarves of several female activists participating in the flotilla.
Adalah stated that at least three activists had been hospitalized with serious injuries, while dozens of others were believed to have suffered broken ribs, breathing difficulties, and additional injuries caused by violent assaults during detention.
Restricted Access and Legal Concerns
The organization further said its legal team was unable to meet all detainees because of what it described as severe restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities.
According to the group, the legal team documented “systematic violations of legal procedures” alongside widespread physical and psychological assaults carried out against the activists.
Adalah added that the large number of testimonies regarding severe violence reveals what it described as “a new pattern of deliberate physical abuse” practiced by Israeli authorities against participants in the flotilla.
The detainees are expected to appear before Israeli judicial authorities to review their detention ahead of deportation proceedings.
Footage and Political Reactions
Earlier Wednesday, Adalah condemned what it described as a “criminal policy of abuse and humiliation” after footage shared by Ben-Gvir on social media showed activists kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs while the Israeli national anthem played in the background.
The video sparked a wave of international condemnation.
Ben-Gvir published the footage on X alongside the phrase “Welcome to Israel.” In the video, he appeared waving an Israeli flag in front of one detainee while chanting “Long live Israel.” Footage also appeared to show Israeli security personnel violently shoving a female activist to the ground after she shouted “Free, Free Palestine,” while the Israeli anthem played.
International Reactions
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she was “deeply shocked” by the footage, confirming that the British government had been in contact with the families of detained British citizens and was providing consular support. She added that London had requested an explanation from Israeli authorities and stressed the need to protect the rights of British nationals and all detainees.
Nine countries, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, and Australia, reportedly summoned Israeli ambassadors or diplomatic representatives in protest over what they described as the “humiliation and abuse” of detainees.
The European Union also condemned the treatment shown in the video as “completely unacceptable,” calling for the activists to be protected, treated with dignity under international law, and immediately released.
In Washington, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee reportedly described Ben-Gvir’s actions as “shameful,” saying they had “betrayed the dignity of his nation.”
Türkiye also condemned what it described as the “barbaric mentality” of the Israeli government, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the treatment of activists, including Italian citizens, was “unacceptable” and violated human dignity.
Interception of the Flotilla
The activists had been transferred to Ashdod Port after Israeli forces intercepted the Gaza-bound Global Sumud flotilla in international waters.
Adalah also noted that information concerning the detainees’ whereabouts, legal status, and physical condition has been heavily restricted by Israeli authorities.
The flotilla had departed last Thursday from the Turkish coastal district of Marmaris in an effort to challenge the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza since 2007 and deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians trapped inside the besieged enclave.
Background and Ongoing Conflict
This was not the first attack targeting the flotilla movement. In late April, Israeli forces reportedly assaulted flotilla vessels in international waters near the Greek island of Crete. At the time, the convoy included 345 participants from 39 countries, including Turkish citizens.
Israel’s blockade on Gaza, ongoing since 2007, has pushed the territory’s 2.4 million residents toward catastrophic levels of hunger and deprivation.
Since October 2023, Israel’s military assault on Gaza has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, wounded over 172,000 others, and caused widespread destruction across the besieged territory.
In many ways, the behavior of Itamar Ben-Gvir did more than humiliate detained activists; it exposed what many around the world increasingly see as the true face of Israel. The mocking chants, the celebration of abuse, and the deliberate public humiliation of civilians were not the actions of a government concerned with democracy or human rights, but of a political system intoxicated with power and shielded from accountability. Ben-Gvir’s attitude stripped away the carefully crafted image Israel has long tried to present to the international community, revealing instead a reality defined by cruelty, supremacy, and open contempt for those who dare to stand with Palestinians.
