Activists released from Israeli custody after the seizure of a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip have accused Israel of ill-treatment.
This is stated in a statement by representatives of the flotilla.
Activists say there have been at least 15 cases of sexual violence, including rape.
According to them, “dozens of people had their bones broken”, and other punishments included being shot with rubber bullets at close range.
Italian economist Luca Poggi, who was among those detained on the flotilla, told Reuters after arriving in Rome: "We were stripped naked, thrown to the ground, kicked. Many were beaten with electric shocks, some were sexually assaulted, and some were denied access to a lawyer."
Sabrina Charik, who helped organize the return of 37 French nationals from the flotilla, told Reuters that five French participants were hospitalized in Turkey, some with broken ribs or vertebrae, and that some activists had described in detail sexual abuse, including rape.
In an Instagram post published by an activist group and verified by Reuters, French citizen Adrien Jouin showed bruises on his back and forearms.
Activists claim that some of the abuse occurred at sea when the flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli Navy, and some after their arrest and detention in Israel.
What they say in Israel
The Israel Prison Service rejected these allegations, calling them false and without any factual basis.
"All prisoners and detainees are held in accordance with the law, with respect for their basic rights, and under the supervision of professional and trained personnel. Medical care is provided in accordance with professional medical opinions and recommendations of the Ministry of Health," the statement said.
What preceded
On May 18, Israeli forces detained 430 people aboard 50 vessels in international waters to stop a volunteer flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
This is not the first such flotilla, and participants in each of them have been consistently detained by Israeli security forces. One such mission, for example, was detained in the summer, when activist Greta Thunberg was on board one of the boats.
And in September, during another attempt to “break the blockade of Gaza”, the flotilla reported that a drone had attacked Greta Thunberg’s ship in the Mediterranean. The fire damaged the main deck and storage facilities.
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