Ships of the Global Sumud flotilla, intercepted in international waters by the Israeli navy, sail off Ierapetra, on the island of Crete (Greece), on May 1, 2026. (Credit: Stefanos Rapanis/Reuters)
Two activists from the “Gaza flotilla,” which was intercepted by the Israeli military on Thursday in international waters off the coast of Greece, have arrived in Israel for questioning, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said Saturday on X.
Spaniard Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Ávila, both members of the Palestinian Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), were arrested, the ministry said, adding that the two men would be “transferred for questioning.”
Around 175 activists were detained aboard about 20 boats in this latest flotilla aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, where access to humanitarian aid remains severely restricted, in violation of the cease-fire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025.
The arrests took place hundreds of kilometers from Gaza, in international waters off Crete, much farther from the Gaza coastline than during previous flotilla interceptions.
Israel released all the activists in Greece after reaching an agreement with local authorities, except for Thiago Ávila and Saif Abu Keshek. Spain immediately called for the “immediate release” of the latter.
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