{"id":3706,"date":"2026-05-02T15:54:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T15:54:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.worldwatchalert.com\/?p=3706"},"modified":"2026-05-02T15:54:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T15:54:25","slug":"two-gaza-aid-flotilla-activists-taken-to-israel-for-questioning-foreign-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.worldwatchalert.com\/?p=3706","title":{"rendered":"Two Gaza aid flotilla activists taken to Israel for questioning: foreign ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

JERUSALEM:<\/strong> Two activists who took part in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla have been brought to Israel for questioning, the foreign ministry said on Saturday, after Israeli forces intercepted the vessels earlier this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ministry identified the activists as Saif Abu Keshek, from Spain, and Thiago \u00c1vila, a Brazilian national, stating that both were in Israel and would be transferred to law enforcement authorities for questioning. It added in a post on X that the two were affiliated with an organisation sanctioned by the US Treasury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the foreign ministry, the activists are linked to the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), a group that Washington has accused of clandestinely acting on behalf of Hamas. In January, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on the organisation, saying it had been involved in organising civilian flotillas bound for Gaza with the aim of breaking Israel\u2019s naval blockade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ministry further stated that Saif Abu Keshek is a leading member of the PCPA, while Thiago \u00c1vila is also associated with the group and is \u201csuspected of illegal activity\u201d. It added that both activists would be allowed consular visits from representatives of their respective countries while in Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00c1vila had previously been involved in organising another flotilla last year that attempted to deliver aid to Gaza despite the naval blockade. That earlier mission was also intercepted by Israeli forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest flotilla included more than 50 vessels that set sail from ports in France, Spain, and Italy, aiming to break the blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel maintains full control over all entry points into the Palestinian territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the war triggered by Hamas\u2019s October 2023 attack on Israel, Gaza has faced severe shortages of essential supplies, with Israel at times completely halting the entry of aid. The enclave has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier, Israel\u2019s foreign ministry said that around 175 activists had been removed from more than 20 vessels on Thursday by Israeli forces. However, flotilla organisers claimed that 211 activists had been \u201ckidnapped\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organisers also alleged that the Israeli operation took place more than 1,000 kilometres from the Gaza Strip. They said Israeli forces intercepted the boats overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, during which equipment was allegedly destroyed, describing the intervention as a \u201ccalculated death trap at sea\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Friday, dozens of intercepted activists disembarked on the Greek island of Crete, according to an AFP journalist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States supported Israel\u2019s position, describing the flotilla as a \u201cstunt\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a related development, a previous attempt by the Global Sumud Flotilla in the summer and autumn of 2025 also drew international attention as it sailed toward Gaza across the Mediterranean. That flotilla was intercepted by Israel near the coasts of Egypt and Gaza in early October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants in that mission, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, were detained by Israeli authorities and later expelled from the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

JERUSALEM: Two activists who took part in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla have been brought to Israel for questioning, the foreign ministry said on Saturday, after Israeli forces intercepted the vessels… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3707,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2095,52],"class_list":["post-3706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world","tag-gaza-aid-flotilla","tag-israel"],"yoast_head":"\nTwo Gaza aid flotilla activists taken to Israel for questioning: foreign ministry - World Watch Alert<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Two activists from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla have been brought to Israel for questioning after Israeli forces intercepted more than 50 vessels attempting to break the blockade, with authorities linking the detainees to a US-sanctioned organisation accused of ties to Hamas.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.worldwatchalert.com\/?p=3706\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Two Gaza aid flotilla activists taken to Israel for questioning: foreign ministry - 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