Israeli court extends detention of Gaza flotilla activists until Sunday

Saif Abu Keshek, a member of the Global Sumud Flotilla detained by Israel, sits at a court for a detention extension hearing on May 3 2026. (Photo/Reuters)

An Israeli court has extended the detention of two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla until Sunday, a rights group representing them said, as authorities continue to question the pair.

Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian national Thiago Avila appeared before a court in the city of Ashkelon for their second hearing on Tuesday, after they were brought to Israel for questioning last week.

The two, held in a prison in the southern Israeli city, were among dozens of activists aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off the coast of Greece early on Thursday.

At their first hearing on Sunday, the court extended their detention by two days. A second hearing was held on Tuesday, where both appeared with their legs shackled.

"The court approved their detention until Sunday morning" at Tuesday's hearing, Miriam Azem, international advocacy coordinator at the Israeli rights group Adalah, told AFP.

An AFP journalist saw the two activists brought to the courtroom.

Adalah said the two activists were on hunger strike, with Tuesday their sixth day of protest.

On Monday, the rights group said the pair had been subjected to physical and psychological abuse in detention.

Abuse claims

Both Abu Keshek and Avila are being held in isolation, with "high-intensity lighting" on at all times in their cells, Adalah said, adding that Avila was being held in "extremely cold temperatures".

"They are kept blindfolded at all times whenever they are moved outside their cells, including during medical examinations," it said.

Israeli authorities have rejected the abuse claims.

At Sunday's hearing, Adalah said the state attorney had presented a list of offences the pair were accused of, including "assisting the enemy during wartime" and "membership in and providing services to a terrorist organisation".

But Adalah's lawyers challenged the state's jurisdiction, arguing there had been an "unlawful abduction" of the two activists in international waters.

Israel's foreign ministry said both individuals were affiliated with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), a group accused by Washington of "clandestinely acting on behalf of" Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

The ministry claimed Abu Keshek was a leading PCPA member, and that Avila was also linked to the group and "suspected of illegal activity".

The flotilla's vessels had set sail from France, Spain and Italy to break Israel's blockade of Gaza and bring humanitarian supplies to the devastated Palestinian territory.

But they were intercepted by Israeli forces off the coast of Greece.

The Global Sumud Flotilla's first voyage last year was also intercepted by Israeli forces off the coasts of Egypt and Gaza.

Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.

Throughout Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza that started in October 2023, there have been shortages of critical supplies in the territory, with Israel at times cutting off aid entirely.

___

Source: TRT