Israel extends detention of Gaza flotilla activists as Spain and Brazil call detention illegal

An Israeli court has extended by two days the detention of two activists arrested aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near Greece, their ⁠lawyer said on Sunday.

Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national, and Brazilian Thiago Avila were detained by Israeli authorities late on Wednesday and brought to Israel, while more than 100 other pro-Palestinian activists aboard the boats were taken to ⁠the Greek island of Crete.

A court spokesperson ​confirmed ⁠that their remand had been extended until May 5.

The governments of Spain and Brazil issued a joint statement on ⁠Friday calling their detention illegal.

The activists were part of a second ​Global ⁠Sumud flotilla, launched in an ‌attempt to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian assistance. The ships had set sail from Barcelona on April 12.

Israeli authorities ‌requested a four-day extension of their arrest on ‌suspicion of offences that include assisting the enemy during wartime, contact with a foreign agent, membership in and providing services to a terrorist organisation, and the transfer of ⁠property for a terrorist organisation, said rights group Adalah, which is assisting in the activists' defence.

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Hadeel Abu Salih, the men's attorney, said that the two deny the allegations. Their arrest was unlawful due to a lack of jurisdiction, she told Reuters at the Ashkelon Magistrate's Court after the hearing, adding that the mission was meant ‌to provide aid to civilians in Gaza, not to any ​militant group.

Abu Salih said that Abu Keshek and Avila ‌were subjected to violence en route ⁠to Israel and kept handcuffed and blindfolded until Thursday morning.

The ⁠Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israel's foreign ministry had ‌on Thursday called ​the flotilla organisers "professional provocateurs".

"Israel will not ‌allow the breach of the ​lawful naval blockade on Gaza," it said.

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