The Ashkelon Magistrates Court on Sunday, May 3, ordered a two-day extension of the detention of two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, held after Israeli forces intercepted the convoy, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago de Avila appeared before the court following their transfer to Israel for interrogation.
“The state asked to extend their detention by two days,” Miriam Azem, international advocacy coordinator at Adalah told AFP.
Lawyers from the group met the detainees on Saturday, May 2, at Shikma Prison in Ashkelon.
Claims of abuse during seizure
According to Adalah, de Avila said he was “subjected to extreme brutality” during the interception, alleging he was dragged face-down and beaten until he lost consciousness twice. He added he has since been held in isolation and blindfolded.
The group said Abu Keshek was hand-tied, blindfolded and forced to lie face-down from the moment of his capture.
Both activists are on hunger strike in protest against their detention and alleged ill-treatment.
Flotilla intercepted at sea
The Global Sumud Flotilla was intercepted on Thursday, April 30, near the Greek coast, around 600 nautical miles from Gaza.
The flotilla’s first vessels carrying aid departed from Barcelona on April 12, while the main fleet set sail from Sicily on April 26.
The activists were among those aboard a convoy of more than 50 vessels aiming to challenge Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian enclave and deliver humanitarian aid.
Organisers said the interception occurred far from Gaza and accused Israeli forces of destroying equipment, describing the situation as a “calculated death trap at sea”.
Around 175 activists were detained when the vessels were intercepted early Thursday in international waters off Greece. Dozens later disembarked on the Greek island of Crete.
Activists’ profiles
Abu Keshek, a Palestinian activist with Spanish citizenship based in Barcelona, has spent over two decades organising solidarity efforts for Gaza across Europe and is a leading organiser of the Global March to Gaza.
De Avila, 38-year-old, is a Brazilian activist involved in pro-Palestinian campaigns for more than two decades and has played a prominent role in flotilla missions, including a Gaza-bound vessel intercepted in 2025.
Previous flotilla confrontations
The Global Sumud Flotilla’s 2025 Mediterranean voyage drew international attention before Israeli forces intercepted vessels near Egypt and Gaza in October, detaining and later expelling participants, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
