Gaza aid activists say Palestinians endure far worse conditions than flotilla detainees

Algerian activist Muhammed Harkati, who was part of the Global Sumud Flotilla unlawfully detained by Israel in international waters, said the torture they endured could not be compared to the suffering faced by Palestinians.

Activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, who were detained by Israel in international waters, arrived in Istanbul aboard three flights departing from Israel.

Harkati, one of the activists who had set sail from Marmaris on May 14 in an effort to break Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip, spoke to Anadolu at Istanbul Airport about the events following Israel’s raid on the flotilla.

He stressed that the mission was entirely humanitarian and aimed at breaking the blockade on Gaza.

“It was a humanitarian, peaceful mission. However, while we were in international waters, we were attacked and abducted. Afterwards, we were held in prison,” Harkati said.

He said activists from the flotilla were first taken to Ashdod Port in southern Israel after being detained.

“From Ashdod Port, we were taken to prison. There, we were beaten and tortured. The beatings and torture we endured cannot be compared to what our Palestinian brothers are suffering,” he said.

Harkati pointed out that the activists aboard the flotilla had the support of their countries and embassies, unlike Palestinians in Gaza.

“Palestinians do not have such an opportunity. We were able to eat and drink, but they cannot. So we cannot say they are living like us. There is a huge difference between us and them,” he added.

‘They tied us tightly during interrogations’

Speaking about the treatment they faced during interrogations in Israel, Harkati said they were tightly restrained and assaulted by soldiers while being transferred between interrogation rooms.

“During the interrogations, they tied us tightly. The soldier who took us from one room to another also beat us,” he said.

Harkati added that Israeli forces placed both plastic and steel handcuffs on the activists throughout their detention.

‘They unleashed a guard dog on me’

Mauritanian human rights activist Muhammed Baba, another participant in the flotilla, said Israeli forces attacked them using dogs.

“They unleashed a guard dog on me. It was hitting my chest and face with its muzzle. This attack happened just before we were taken to prison,” Baba said.

The Mauritanian activist said Israeli prison security officers carried out the attack after realizing the detainees were not afraid of them.

“They did this when they saw that we were not afraid of them,” he said.

On May 18, the Israeli military intercepted the flotilla of 50 boats carrying 428 activists from 44 countries while it was sailing toward Gaza in international waters and unlawfully detained the activists.

Among those detained were 78 Turkish participants. The activists were first taken to Ashdod Port before being transferred overnight to Ketziot Prison in the Negev Desert.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Demir