Arabic version: تحرير ستة ناشطين أستراليين بعد احتجازهم في قافلة غزة

Six Australian activists involved in a Gaza aid flotilla have been released in Greece after being detained by the Israeli military. The activists were part of the second Global Sumud Flotilla, which aimed to challenge Israel’s long-standing naval blockade of Gaza. They were intercepted off the coast of Greece and released on the island of Crete.

According to SBS News, three of the released activists—Ethan Floyd, Zack Schofield, and Neve O’Connor—were taken to a hospital for injuries sustained during their detention. They reported experiencing violence and mistreatment while aboard the Israeli vessel. The trio announced they would go on a hunger strike until the health and whereabouts of two remaining flotilla leaders were confirmed.

The flotilla organizers stated that all 173 international activists were released except for Thiago Ávila from Brazil and Saif Abu Keshek from Spain, who are still in custody. Images shared by the Global Sumud Flotilla showed visible injuries on the activists, including bruises and cuts.

Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar confirmed the interception of the vessels but claimed that all participants were unharmed. The Israeli military justified its actions by citing the need to prevent a breach of the blockade due to the flotilla’s size and potential escalation risks.

Activists condemned the Israeli actions as unlawful, describing them as “piracy” and asserting that they occurred in international waters. The Global Sumud Flotilla called for international pressure on Israel to release the detained activists. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has previously advised against participation in actions that breach Israel’s blockade.