Israel deported two foreign activists on Sunday after seizing them from a Gaza-bound flotilla and holding them for questioning, bringing an end to a week of detention that drew criticism from rights groups and foreign governments.
The two men were Brazilian Thiago Avila and Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national of Palestinian origin. They were among dozens of activists aboard a flotilla intercepted by the Israeli navy in international waters off the coast of Greece on April 30. The others were taken to the Greek island of Crete and released, while the pair were brought to Israel.
Israel's foreign ministry said on X that Avila and Abu Keshek were deported after an investigation and reiterated that the country would not allow any breach of the blockade on Gaza. The ministry did not repeat earlier allegations that the pair were linked to a terrorist organisation, even though those claims had been part of the questioning.
Adalah, the rights group representing the activists, described the detention as a punitive attack on a civilian mission. It said the two men were held in total isolation, subjected to prolonged interrogations, bright lighting and blindfolded transfers, including during medical examinations. Israeli authorities rejected the claims, and Israeli courts twice approved the detention while police continued questioning.
The dispute became a diplomatic issue as well as a legal one. Spain, Brazil and the United Nations all called for the men's swift release after their detention triggered outrage. On Wednesday, an Israeli court rejected an appeal contesting the pair's detention, keeping them in custody until the deportation order was carried out.
Both men denied any links to Hamas and launched a hunger strike during their detention. According to Spanish diplomats, Israel provided no evidence linking Abu Keshek to the militant group. When he arrived in Barcelona, supporters waving Palestinian flags and chanting in solidarity greeted him at the airport. Avila's wife said she was relieved and eager to see him again.
The episode also worsened relations between Israel and Spain, which have already been deteriorating since the Gaza war began after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Spain recognised a Palestinian state in 2024 and later saw ties with Israel fall further, turning the treatment of the activists into another diplomatic irritant.
The flotilla itself aimed to break Israel's blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. That objective has been contested by Israel, which insists the blockade is necessary for security. The confrontation over the activists shows how a maritime protest can turn quickly into a dispute over blockade enforcement, human rights and the limits of civilian solidarity missions.
For now, the deportations close one chapter. But the reporting suggests the broader fight over flotilla interceptions and Gaza access is still very much open.
For now, the deportations close one chapter, but the broader argument over the blockade and humanitarian access remains open. The episode shows how quickly a civilian maritime mission can become a legal and diplomatic fight with Gaza policy at its centre.
