Arabic version: إسرائيل تخطط لإطلاق سراح ناشطين اثنين من قافلة غزة المحتجزين
According to Al Jazeera,
Israel is set to release two Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla activists who were abducted by Israeli authorities, according to a statement from the rights group Adalah. Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish-Palestinian activist, and Thiago Avila, a Brazilian activist, are expected to be freed on Saturday.
The pair will be handed over to immigration authorities and held in custody pending their deportation. Hadeel Abu Salih, their lawyer, stated that they are expected to return to their home countries in the coming days. Adalah is closely monitoring the situation to ensure that the release occurs as planned.
Abu Keshek and Avila were among dozens of activists who set sail for Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off the coast of Greece. While the other 168 members of the flotilla were taken to Crete and then released, the two men were taken to Israel for further questioning.
Their legal representation has argued that their detention was a violation of international law, describing the process as a sham intended to punish them for attempting to challenge Israel’s illegal blockade. During their detention, both activists were reportedly held in total isolation under punitive conditions despite the purely civilian nature of their mission. Abu Keshek has been on a hunger strike, escalating his protest by refusing water since Tuesday. Despite these allegations, Israeli authorities have denied any claims of abuse.
