After The Global Sumud Flotilla, Gaza Remains Under Siege.

Photo by Mohamed Zarandah on pexels.com 

With its most recent mission, the Global Sumud Flotilla sought to deliver symbolic humanitarian aid in an attempt to break the siege on Gaza and establish a civilian-operated maritime corridor through which Palestinian reconstruction efforts could be supported and aid could reach the territory. However, on Monday, 18 May, armed Israeli naval forces intercepted the vessels while they were sailing in international waters near Cyprus, approximately 460 kilometres from the coast of Gaza. Around 430 activists were subsequently detained and transferred to Ketziot prison in Israel.

Following the detention of the activists, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, posted a video on social media showing detainees kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs while announcing, “Welcome to Israel”. The footage prompted condemnation from several governments and international actors, including representatives of the European Union. The Italian government, for instance, demanded that Israel apologize and contacted the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, urging “that sanctions against Ben-Gvir be discussed at the bloc’s next meeting of foreign ministers”.

Amid mounting international pressure, all activists were eventually released and deported to their respective countries. Since then, several detainees have come forward with testimonies describing ill-treatment and torture by Israeli authorities during their detention. Among them is Italian journalist Alessandro Mantovani, writing for Il Fatto Quotidiano, who recounted being transferred to an Israeli prison vessel after the interception. According to Mantovani, activists were chained and handcuffed as well as kicked and beaten. Alongside him, Italian Member of Parliament Dario Carotenuto recounted being punched in the eye and hearing testimonies from women denouncing cases of sexual violence.

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that “the way that Minister Ben-Gvir dealt with the [...] activists is not in line with Israel’s values”, he has also reaffirmed Israel’s right to ensure Hamas-affiliated groups do not enter Israeli waters and reach Gaza. Accusations of Hamas involvement with the flotilla had also been made in relation to the previous mission, which activists rejected as unfounded, reiterating that the flotilla was a non-violent civilian humanitarian mission operating in international waters and that it did not enter Israeli maritime territory at any point. Its most recent interception has therefore been widely described as a violation of international law, including international humanitarian law.

Although international condemnation of the treatment endured by activists aboard the flotilla is important, it is not sufficient. On the contrary, it should prompt greater attention to the broader treatment Palestinians face under Israeli detention and military occupation. As international advocacy coordinator at Adalah, Miriam Azem, has argued, the torture and abuse documented reflect practices to which Palestinians are routinely subjected, often without receiving nearly as much public indignation. Al Jazeera reporter, Nida Ibrahim, stated that for many Palestinians, this underscores the disparity in attention afforded to Palestinian suffering compared to that experienced by foreign nationals.

More broadly, the humanitarian crisis extends far beyond the flotilla itself, as Israeli attacks and restrictions on aid continue to have devastating consequences for Palestinians in Gaza. Since the October 2025 ceasefire, 856 Palestinians have been killed and 2,463 wounded. At the same time, humanitarian access remains severely restricted, with the United Nations repeatedly warning that aid deliveries fall far below the level required to meet the population’s basic needs. In this context, condemnation of the treatment endured by activists aboard the flotilla must serve as a reminder of why it was created in the first place. At the heart of this humanitarian mission are children, women, and men who are not only being denied the conditions necessary for a dignified life, but who are made to face such treatment and worse on a daily basis. As the activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla make their way home and share their stories, Gaza must not be forgotten.

written by Chiara Fachin