ROME — Activists detained after Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, Oct. 1, say they endured harsh and degrading conditions at Ketziot Prison in Israel’s Negev Desert, accusations Israeli officials reject. The claims surfaced as Israel accelerated deportations for hundreds of foreigners who joined the convoy in an effort to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza and challenge Israel’s naval blockade, Oct. 7, 2025.
Gaza flotilla detainees describe Ketziot prison conditions
Multiple detainees and their legal representatives have described what they say were hours-long restraints, sleep deprivation and humiliation after Israeli forces boarded dozens of civilian boats headed toward Gaza. Organizers said more than 450 people were detained, while Israeli officials have put the figure higher, and several governments sought consular access for their nationals as deportation paperwork moved through Israeli immigration channels.
In an Oct. 4 Reuters report, two activists who arrived in Istanbul after deportation said they witnessed Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg being shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag. One of them, Hazwani Helmi, said, “It was a disaster,” adding that detainees were not provided clean food or water and that medication and belongings were confiscated. The same report cited Adalah, an Israeli legal rights group assisting flotilla participants, as alleging some detainees were denied access to lawyers, water, medications and toilets and were forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for hours after chanting “Free Palestine.”
The Associated Press reported that some activists returning to Europe described being repeatedly woken, intimidated by dogs and subjected to verbal abuse. Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers withheld medicines and treated prisoners “like monkeys,” while another activist described what he called “constant stress and humiliation,” including being kept on his knees for hours. The AP also reported that far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was “proud” of how staff treated the detainees at Ketziot, arguing they should be treated as supporters of terrorism.
Similar allegations were included in summaries of Australian consular visits. ABC News reported it obtained redacted summaries prepared by Australian diplomatic staff that included claims of kicking and slapping, “sleep deprivation” techniques and confiscation of medication. One detainee said he was told to “dance like a monkey,” and several alleged they were placed in a “large cage” and yelled at by an Israeli government minister who called them “terrorists,” according to the report.
Israel denies abuse and says detainees’ rights were upheld
Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected the mistreatment allegations. Israel’s Foreign Ministry has described claims raised by activists and legal groups as false, saying detainees were provided food, water and access to restrooms and legal counsel, and that rights were upheld during processing and deportations.
Israel has also said that voluntary deportation was offered to detained flotilla participants, with some choosing to remain in detention while pursuing a formal legal process. The flotilla’s supporters have countered that they were seized in international waters and should not be treated as immigration violators.
The dispute has played out amid wider diplomatic fallout, including public protests in several countries and calls by some governments for faster access to detained citizens. Israeli officials, meanwhile, have continued to portray the flotilla effort as a political stunt that benefits Hamas, saying the blockade is a lawful security measure during an ongoing war.
Earlier flotilla missions show a long-running pattern of clashes and detention disputes
The latest testimonies add to a history of confrontations over attempts to reach Gaza by sea. After Israel’s 2010 raid on a Turkish-backed flotilla, Reuters reported Israel decided to free hundreds of detained foreign activists amid international protests and scrutiny of the operation.
In 2018, the crew of an aid vessel intercepted en route to Gaza alleged they were tasered and beaten during the boarding operation, while Israel’s military said its forces used “proportional force,” according to The Guardian. Those earlier accounts mirror recurring flashpoints in more recent cases: competing narratives over what happened during maritime interceptions, and whether subsequent detention conditions meet international norms.
For activists deported in recent days, the question now is whether governments will press for independent review of detention conditions or focus on ensuring the remaining detainees are returned quickly — while flotilla organizers have vowed to continue attempts to reach Gaza by sea as long as the blockade remains in place.
