Who are the two Gaza flotilla activists abducted by Israel?

Two activists from a Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla person been presented earlier an Israeli tribunal days aft they were abducted pursuing their detention with 175 different campaigners by Israel successful planetary waters adjacent Greece.

Spanish nationalist Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila person been connected a hunger onslaught during their detention though they person continued to portion water.

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The Global Sumud Flotilla comprising much than 50 vessels had acceptable sail from France, Spain and Italy connected April 12 with the purpose of breaking an Israeli blockade of Gaza and bringing supplies to the devastated Palestinian territory.

Gaza has been nether an Israeli sea, onshore and aerial blockade since 2005, and since October 7, 2023, Israel has tightened its power implicit what goes successful and retired of the enclave – location to 2.3 cardinal people.

The activists were intercepted by Israeli forces successful planetary waters disconnected Greece connected Thursday. All of them were released but Abu Keshek and Avila.

So who are the 2 activists and wherefore has Israel detained them?

Here’s what we know:

Who is Saif Abu Keshek?

Abu Keshek is simply a Spanish-Swedish nationalist of Palestinian root who was abducted from the flotilla disconnected Crete connected Thursday.

According to the website of the Global Sumud Flotilla, helium is based successful Barcelona and has been organising Palestinian solidarity movements crossed Europe for much than 20 years. He and his woman person 3 children, aged one, 4 and seven.

Before joining this year’s flotilla, “Abukeshek was a pb organiser successful the Global March to Gaza and presently chairs the Global Coalition Against the Occupation successful Palestine and represents the Intersindical Alternativa de Catalunya (IAC),” the website noted. “He besides serves connected the General Secretariat of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad and sits connected the committee of the European Trade Union Network for Justice successful Palestine”.

After Israel intercepted the flotilla connected Thursday, Abu Keshek was abducted and transferred to Shikma Prison successful Ashkelon. Shikma Prison (also known arsenic Ashkelon Prison) successful confederate Israel has been often accused of harsh attraction and torture, peculiarly aft Israel’s genocidal warfare successful Gaza began successful 2023.

Abu Keshek was subjected to torture connected Saturday connected an Israeli subject vessel, the Global Sumud Flotilla said successful a connection that was based connected accounts from released activists.

The Israeli quality rights organisation and ineligible centre Adalah visited the 2 men successful Shikma Prison successful Israel connected Saturday and said: “The harrowing testimonies provided by some activists uncover carnal unit and being held for prolonged periods successful accent positions by Israeli subject forces during the past 2 days they person spent astatine sea.”

Abu Keshek “reported being kept hand-tied and blindfolded, and being forced to prevarication face-down connected the level from the infinitesimal of his seizure until this morning, resulting successful bruising to his look and hands”, it said.

“Avila reported being subjected to utmost brutality by the Israeli subject during the seizure of the vessels,” it added, including being “dragged face-down crossed the level and beaten truthful severely that helium passed retired twice”.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivered a connection to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu successful a code connected Friday, saying Spain would ever support its citizens and support planetary law.

“We request the merchandise of the Spanish national who has been unlawfully detained by Netanyahu’s government,” helium said.

Israel’s enactment has besides prompted protests and condemnation from rights groups and governments. Turkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called it an “act of piracy”.

Brazilian activistic Thiago Avila and Spanish activistic Saif Abu Keshek astatine a tribunal successful Ashkelon [Ilia Yefimovich/AFP]

Who is Thiago Avila?

Avila is simply a socio-environmentalist from Brazil. According to the Global Sumud Flotilla’s website, the 38-year-old has a one-and-a-half-year-old girl with his woman and has dedicated himself to solidarity with Palestine for much than 20 years.

“He is simply a Steering Committee subordinate of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and was 1 of the coordinators onboard the Madleen ngo that was intercepted and kidnapped by the Zionist entity successful June 2025,” the website noted.

Avila was enactment successful solitary confinement successful Israel’s Ayalon Prison connected June 11, 2025, for respective days aft helium was abducted during the Freedom Flotilla mission.

According to the Brazilian embassy, aft his caller detention successful Israel successful Shikma Prison, Avila reported being subjected to torture, beatings and mistreatment.

“During a monitored sojourn successful which helium was separated by solid and incapable to pass freely, embassy officials observed disposable marks connected his face. He reported important pain, peculiarly successful his shoulder,” the Global Sumud Flotilla said successful a statement.

What did the tribunal say?

On Sunday, the tribunal successful Ashkelon, Israel, approved a two-day hold to the detention of the activists who were brought to Israel for questioning.

“The tribunal extended their detention by 2 days,” said Miriam Azem, the planetary advocacy coordinator astatine Adalah, which represents the men, told the AFP quality agency.

Israeli authorities had earlier asked the tribunal to widen their detention by 4 days.

“The Global Sumud Flotilla reiterates that the forced transportation of civilians from planetary and European waters into custody, combined with credible allegations of torture and the lack of owed process, constitutes a superior usurpation of planetary instrumentality and indispensable beryllium met with accountability,” the flotilla said successful a statement.

The organisation has besides called connected governments, quality rights organisations, ineligible institutions, media outlets and civilian nine worldwide to request their release.