An international humanitarian mission to deliver vital aid to the besieged Gaza Strip has ignited controversy after activists aboard the Handala Freedom Flotilla reported severe psychological and physical mistreatment by the Israeli military following their interception.
Journalist Tania Safi and activist Robert Martin, among 19 others representing 12 countries, recounted their detention experience after the Handala was boarded by approximately 30 armed Israeli Defense Force (IDF) members. Their vessel was intercepted as it sought to reach Gaza, carrying essential supplies like baby formula, nappies, food, and medicine.
After their arrest, the activists were transported to Israel, where they spent several days in custody. During this period, Ms. Safi and Mr. Martin allege they were manhandled and subjected to treatment akin to criminals, a stark contrast to their humanitarian mission.
The Handala’s cargo was specifically intended for the Gaza Strip, a region currently grappling with a severe starvation crisis. This escalating humanitarian catastrophe has prompted widespread international outcry, with dozens of Palestinian lives reportedly lost due to hunger-related complications in recent weeks.
Experts, the United Nations, and numerous international bodies attribute the dire food shortages in Gaza largely to Israeli blockades. Conversely, the Israeli government places the blame squarely on Hamas, accusing the Palestinian militant group of diverting and stealing aid from humanitarian convoys.
Ms. Safi described the moment of interception, stating that IDF members, some reportedly carrying multiple firearms, aggressively boarded the Handala. She specifically claimed she was struck in the leg by a machine gun, highlighting the alleged use of force during the boarding operation.
Furthermore, Ms. Safi revealed that the military attempted to coerce the Handala activists into signing documents falsely asserting they had entered Israeli territory illegally. She vehemently denied these claims, emphasizing that their presence was entirely involuntary and that they experienced profound psychological brutalization.
This incident involving the Handala is not isolated; it follows the interception of the Madleen, another Freedom Flotilla vessel, just two months prior on June 9th, which notably had Swedish activist Greta Thunberg aboard. These repeated interceptions underscore ongoing tensions in the region.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry, in a statement issued on X following the Handala’s seizure, asserted that the military acted to prevent the vessel from “illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza.” The IDF has been contacted for further comment regarding the activists’ allegations.
