Israel announced on Saturday that it had transferred two activists from the “Global Resilience Flotilla” for Gaza to its territory for interrogation, after its army intercepted the fleet’s ships on Thursday off the coast of Greece, in an operation that led to the arrest of about 175 activists, according to the Israeli account, and accusations of the organizers of “kidnapping” 211 people. The operation coincided with Palestinian and international condemnation, while Washington accused the flotilla of being a “pro-Hamas initiative” aimed at undermining the peace plan drawn up by President Trump.

Published on: 05/02/2026 - 19:50 Last updated: 05/03/2026 - 12:02

Israel announced on Saturday that it had transferred two activists from the Global Resilience Fleet for Gaza to its territory for interrogation, after its army intercepted the fleet's ships on Thursday off the coast of Greece.

The fleet, which included more than 50 ships, set off from ports in France, Spain and Italy with the aim of breaking the Israeli siege imposed on Gaza and delivering supplies to the devastated Palestinian Strip, before Israeli forces intercepted it on Wednesday night. Israel said it arrested about 175 activists from the flotilla, but organizers accused it of "kidnapping" 211 people.

Details of the investigation with activists

The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated on the X platform that the Spaniard, Saif Abu Kishk, and the Brazilian, Thiago Avila, are in Israel and “will be referred for questioning by law enforcement authorities.” She added that the two activists belong to the Popular Conference of Palestinians Abroad, which the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on in January. Washington accused the conference of "secretly working for the benefit" of the Palestinian Hamas movement.

The US Treasury Department said that the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad played a role in organizing other efforts to break the Israeli siege on Gaza.

The United States has supported Israeli authorities over the interception of the ships, describing the latest flotilla as a “political show.” In a statement Thursday, the US State Department considered the flotilla “an initiative loyal to Hamas and a counterproductive and baseless effort to undermine the peace plan drawn up by President Trump.”

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that Abu Kishk is “one of the leaders” of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, accusing Avila of being associated with him, in addition to suspecting him of being “involved in illegal activities.” The ministry added: "Both will receive a consular visit from representatives of their countries in Israel."

"Violence" of activists and accusations of kidnapping

Thiago Avila is one of the organizers of the first “resilience flotilla” that attempted to deliver aid to Gaza last year, and was also intercepted by Israeli forces. Israel controls all entry points into the Gaza Strip, which it has imposed a siege on since 2007.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza War following the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, the Palestinian Strip has been suffering from a shortage of vital supplies, to the point that Israel has completely cut off aid from it in some periods.

The organizers of the last flotilla said that the Israeli interception operation took place more than a thousand kilometers from Gaza, stressing that the Israeli army destroyed their equipment and set up a "planned death trap for them at sea." Dozens of activists disembarked on the Greek island of Crete on Friday after their ships were intercepted, according to a journalist from the French news agency.

Organizers posted photos on social media showing two activists with bruises on their faces, while one participant said in a video that Israeli forces “violated them... several times.”

Condemnation of Hamas and calls for legal prosecution

Hamas condemned the interception, saying that the activists were subjected to abuse and assault. The movement called on human rights organizations to legally pursue the Israeli authorities "to hold the occupation leaders accountable for their crimes against the Al-Samoud Fleet, and to ensure that they do not escape punishment." Hamas also praised "international activists for their insistence on continuing their humanitarian efforts to break the siege on the Gaza Strip, despite the threats and intimidation measures practiced by the Zionist enemy."

In the summer and fall of 2025, the first flight of the “Global Resilience Fleet” across the Mediterranean towards Gaza attracted widespread global attention. Israel then intercepted the flotilla's boats off the coast of Egypt and the coast of the Gaza Strip in early October. It arrested its activists before deporting them.

France 24/AFP

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