Gaza flotilla activists reveal wounds suffered in Israeli detention

Footage from a livestream shows one of the activists with injuries to his back, including purple bruising and cuts

The first images of wounds suffered by Gaza flotilla protesters while in Israeli detention have been revealed.

All 50 boats from the GlobalSamud Flotilla sailing to deliver aid to Gaza were detained by Israeli forces on Monday.

Some 428 participants were detained across 40 different countries, and held in detention until their deportation today.

One activist is seen with cuts and bruises on his back as he walks topless through Istanbul airport. He flashes a peace sign as he walks through security.

Italian journalist Alessandro Mantovani, one of the activists flown home earlier, said he had been beaten up on arrival in Israeli detention in what he described as a container, calling it a ‘place of ​terror’.

‘Beat you up means they kicked me in the legs and punched me in the face. These are people who know what they are doing, so I don’t have any major visible marks … They would beat you up and would tell you ‘Welcome ‌to Israel”, ⁠he told reporters on arrival at Rome’s Fiumicino airport.

Another Italian activist, Dario Carotenuto, a lawmaker from the 5-Star Movement, said he had been punched in the eye and kicked while detained.

It comes after video, released earlier by Israel, showed protesters handcuffed behind their backs and left to kneel face down on the floor in rows.

Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir can be seen smirking, taunting and telling detained activists they should be imprisoned for a very long time.

Activists hug each other upon arrival at Istanbul Airport(Picture: Burak Kara/Getty Images) Flotilla participants are arriving at Istanbul airport.

One handcuffed Irish woman named by activists as Caitriona Graham shouts ‘Free Palestine’ at Ben Gvir but is taken down quickly with her head forced to the floor as the minister is ushered away smiling.

After diplomatic intervention led to her being freed she was filmed saying ‘Free Palestine’ again as she hugged another activist.

Israeli minister Ben Gvir is under fire for ‘inhumane’ treatment of Gaza flotilla detainees Activitsts reunite with their families (Picture: Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said although Israel has every right to stop ‘provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters,’ the way that Ben Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists ‘is not in line with Israel’s values and norms.’

A spokesperson for the flotilla said there is no legal basis for the arrest of participants trying to deliver aid.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland said officials ‘are actively monitoring the situation regarding the Global Sumud Flotilla’ and are engaging with the relevant authorities.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Ministry, on X, described the flotilla as a ‘provocation and a search for publicity’ and claimed there was no aid on board.

It added: ‘The purpose of this provocation is to serve Hamas, to divert attention from Hamas’s refusal to disarm, and to obstruct progress on President Trump’s peace plan.’

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