ISTANBUL

A humanitarian activist from the Gaza-bound Handala aid ship was assaulted upon arrival to Israeli prison, Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) said Tuesday.

The Handala ship, carrying baby formula, food, and medicine, was seized by Israeli forces near the Gaza coast on Saturday night, with 21 unarmed civilians on board, including lawmakers, medics, and volunteers.

“When he reached the Israeli prison, U.S. human rights defender Chris Smalls was physically assaulted by seven uniformed individuals,” the coalition said on X.

Chris Smalls is an American labor organizer from New Jersey who founded and led the Amazon Labor Union (ALU).

“They choked him and kicked him in the legs, leaving visible signs of violence on his neck and back,” the statement said.

The FFC highlighted that “when his lawyer met with him, Chris was surrounded by six members of Israel’s special police unit. This level of force was not used against other abducted activists.”

It decried the attack, saying: “We condemn this violence against Chris and demand accountability for the assault and discriminatory treatment he faced.”

The aid ship, launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, set sail from Italy in an attempt to break a months-long Israeli siege, which has left Gaza’s 2.4 million population on the verge of famine.

In recent months, Israel has intercepted multiple Gaza-bound aid ships in international waters.

In June, Israeli forces seized the Madleen, detaining 12 international activists, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and French Member of European Parliament Rima Hassan. A month earlier, the MV Conscience was attacked by drones near Malta.

Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza for 18 years and, since March 2, has shut down all crossings, blocking the entry of aid convoys and ignoring international calls to reopen them.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 147 people have died of starvation since October 2023, including 88 children.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.​​​​​​​

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.