Overview
- Israel, which said Sunday it had finished its inquiry, deported Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila.
- The pair were seized after the navy intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla off Crete, where 22 boats with about 175 activists tried to sail toward Gaza.
- Most participants were taken to Crete and released, while the two were brought to Israel for questioning and held without public charges before deportation.
- Rights groups allege isolation, bright lighting in cells, blindfolded transfers, and prolonged interrogations during detention, claims Israel rejects as it maintains security concerns.
- Spain, Brazil and the United Nations criticized the detentions as unlawful, highlighting a wider dispute over enforcing Israel’s Gaza blockade in international waters and its impact on aid access.