Dozens of international activists detained in Israel after taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla say they are being held in poor and degrading conditions, with claims of limited access to clean water, medical care, and lawyers. The flotilla, made up of more than 40 vessels carrying humanitarian aid, was attempting to reach Gaza and challenge Israel’s 16-year maritime blockade when it was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters last week.
Among those detained are three New Zealanders — Rana Hamida, Youssef Sammour, and Samuel Leason — who are being held at Ktzi’ot Prison in the Negev desert. Their families say they are deeply worried for their wellbeing.
“I’m very worried about Samuel, as he sits in a cell right now, in a cage crammed in with many other people … he has been without water and legal representation,” said Adrian Leason, Samuel’s father.
Heba Hamida said her sister Rana had injured her shoulder, but the family still did not know how it happened. “I’m just going to ask the government to react and bring our loved ones home safe and in good health,” she said.
Samar Sammour, whose brother Youssef is also detained, said he joined the flotilla because “the government had failed to act.” She added, “I urge the New Zealand government to demonstrate principled leadership that defines us as a nation and to finally show the moral courage that people like Youssef, Rana and Samuel have shown in abundance.”
The flotilla included 437 activists, lawyers, and parliamentarians from around the world. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was among those arrested and told Swedish officials she was subjected to harsh treatment, saying she was kept in a cell infested with bedbugs, given limited food and water, and allegedly forced to pose with flags for photographs.
Thunberg is expected to be among more than 70 detainees from several countries who will be deported in the coming days — including 28 French, 27 Greek, 15 Italian, and nine Swedish nationals. A first group of 26 Italians returned home on Saturday, reporting that they had been mistreated and humiliated during their detention.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that a consular partner in Tel Aviv has met with the detained New Zealanders and that it is working with Israeli authorities to ensure their welfare. It said it had no confirmation that any New Zealand citizens were on the latest deportation flights.
In response to the allegations, Israel’s foreign ministry strongly denied claims of mistreatment. A spokesperson said, “All the detainees’ legal rights were fully upheld, and they were all given access to water, food, and restrooms. They were not denied access to legal counsel, and of course, no physical force was used against them.”
However, Adalah, a legal centre in Israel representing many of the detainees, said several activists have reported physical violence, denial of medication, and verbal abuse. One Muslim woman said she was forced to remove her hijab and was only offered a shirt as a replacement. Adalah said it would continue to document and challenge what it described as “abusive and unlawful treatment” in court.
Back in New Zealand, Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the detained activists were “trying to build a world in which our humanity actually means something.” She urged the government to take a stronger stance against Israel’s actions and to secure the safe return of the three New Zealanders.
“Our government has a legal obligation to prevent genocide. It is presently washing its hands of that obligation,” Swarbrick said, calling on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to sanction Israel.
Luxon told reporters that officials had spoken “very strongly to the Israeli government” about the safety of New Zealand citizens but stopped short of condemning Israel’s actions. “You’re going into a war zone … there’s 40 boats and 500 people, you could argue they’re trying to keep people safe,” he said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters later criticised the Green Party’s comments, describing them as “faux moral outrage” and accusing the flotilla members of “headline hunting.” He wrote that they had been warned not to go, adding: “Now we have to spend all of our time and taxpayer money to solve their self-righteous, self-inflicted, petulant problems.”
The Global Sumud Flotilla’s organisers say their mission was peaceful and aimed to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza while drawing attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the blockade. Protests have taken place in Rome, Athens, and Paris, with thousands calling for the activists’ release and for international action against what they describe as Israeli aggression in international waters.
While Israel maintains that the blockade is a security measure to prevent weapons smuggling into Gaza, critics argue that it constitutes collective punishment of civilians and violates international law.
As deportations continue, questions remain over the treatment of those detained and the legality of Israel’s interception in international waters. For the families waiting anxiously across the world, the hope now is that their loved ones will be safely returned home — and that their stories of alleged abuse will be properly investigated.
