Held Overseas: the Global Sumud Flotilla and the abuse of its volunteers
Ibrahim Safi – The Public Trust
On August 22, 2025, Tom Fletcher, the secretary of humanitarian affairs and relief at the United Nations, officially declared a famine in Gaza, a consequence of the barbaric onslaught imposed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) after October 7, 2023. Since then, carpet bombing, shooting, and armed assaults have taken place in Gaza, flattening it into an unrecognizable state. Perhaps the most significant cause of death in the region is the imposed blockade, which severely limits the inflow of food, water, medicine, and various other goods to the Gaza Strip (Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor). The utter lack of humanity towards the suffering Palestinians in the region has shocked the world. Horrifying reports, such as the IDF raping Palestinian detainees with dogs, have been released by the New York Times, as the world watches in horror.
An initiative was launched in response to escalating suffering: the Global Sumud Flotilla, with Sumud being the Arabic word for steadfastness, conveying its intent to support the Palestinian people. According to a report by Al-Jazeera, the group intended to board boats and transport food, water, medicine, and baby formula to the Palestinians. Important to note is that they came unarmed, only bringing themselves, supplies, and cameras to capture the entire process. Their first voyage occurred in 2025, departing from Barcelona on August 31st. Many participated in this flotilla, notably the climate activist Greta Thunberg. Over the next two months, subsequent fleets joined from Italy, Tunisia, and Greece. However, upon nearing the Palestinian coast, the ships first faced drone attacks, believed to be Israeli in origin, and were later intercepted by Israeli forces, with the sailors being detained and abused in Israeli prisons. As a result, the Italian and Spanish navies were deployed to maintain peace in the region, but they were largely ineffective (Global Sumud Flotilla).
Eventually, after sufficient international pressure, the detainees were released, ending the first Sumud flotilla. The targeting by the Israeli forces of the unarmed volunteers, seeking to peacefully bring necessary supplies to the Palestinian people, sparked outrage across the world and significantly raised awareness for the plight of the Palestinian people. Very recently, a second Sumud flotilla began, this time with delegations from 56 countries participating. The ships departed from various Mediterranean countries, assembling on the Turkish coast before proceeding to occupied Palestine. According to Reuters, on Tuesday, May 19th, 2026, the ships were intercepted halfway between the coast of Turkey and Palestine. Estimates indicate that roughly 430 volunteers were detained by Israeli security forces. Captured sailors were held in a position where they were forced to kneel, had their hands tied with zip ties and kept behind their backs, and had their heads pressed to the ground. If any of the detainees spoke up or caused a commotion, Israeli troops would kick and beat them and humiliate them.
According to correspondence by Reuters with the Italian party, who have recently made it back home, pictures of bruised volunteers were taken upon their landing, alleged to be from Israeli beatings. At least 15 members of the Italian party allege being victims of sexual assault and rape. In many cases, detainees were stripped and beaten, and in no case were they allowed to seek counsel from a lawyer.
In an ABC News video, the interviewee, Neve O’Connor, an Australian activist who traveled with the Australian party aboard the Sumud fleet, describes her experience in Israeli captivity. Israelis had the fleet members handcuffed in the particular manner described earlier, with regular beatings and kicks to the head and body, stating that violence of this sort was the norm. Several fleet members, who were subsequently deported to Turkey, received medical treatment there for these wounds, providing evidence to these claims of physical abuse. O’Connor also describes instances of public humiliation, where she was captured wearing a ‘Free Palestine’ shirt, and an Israeli officer asked her to remove the shirt and later strip down whilst they decided what she would be allowed to wear. This incident occurred in a public place, with many onlookers, both detainee and Israeli alike. According to her, this was a milder experience of sexual humiliation, with more severe acts being the norm. Israeli ambassadors, meanwhile, continuously deny these claims.
This incident gained internet notoriety when a video of Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir went viral. In the video, he states that such was the fate (referring to the restrained volunteers) of ‘terror supporters’ (Reuters). The tone-deaf statement drew massive backlash online, notably from many Israelis as well (Reuters).
However, the criticism from the pro-Israeli crowd was not directed at the lack of human dignity offered to the prisoners, but rather that Ben Gvir’s remarks made Israel and Israeli society look bad, with not a single instance of condolence for the detained volunteers. The official plan of the Israeli government was to deport the activists to Turkey, but as of this article’s writing, only a small number have been deported, whilst the majority remain detained.
With the lack of humanity shown in this ongoing and evolving incident, one must think not only of the volunteers but also of the Palestinian people’s plight. Cameras and testimonies of people who have escaped show the abuse leveled upon peaceful volunteers seeking to deliver food, baby formula, and medicine to the people of Gaza. One can only now imagine what is being done to the people of Palestine behind closed doors, where no cameras are found. The shocking rhetoric of Israeli politicians and their supporters grants further credence to this. Their calling peaceful volunteers terrorists, as well as justifying rape and illegal detainment as ‘anti-terror measures’, goes on to show how important it is to speak up about such matters. As of this article’s writing, 69 ships have been captured, with none left sailing. Efforts are underway to launch more boats to continue the mission, as well as the Global Sumud land convoy, which aims to achieve the same objectives as the flotilla but by land. Watching this on our screens, we can only hope and pray that they will succeed in delivering urgent supplies to a starving population.
Sources:
“Mission Reflection - Global Sumud Flotilla.” Globalsumudflotilla.org, 2025, globalsumudflotilla.org/missions/gsf-2025/overview/.
Euromedmonitor.org, 2025, euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6897/No-one-fully-survived:-Shocking-statistics-expose-the-devastating-scope-of-Israel%E2%80%99s-genocide-in-Gaza. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
ABC News In-depth. “Activists from Gaza Aid Flotilla Allege Abuse at the Hands of Israeli Forces | 7.30.” YouTube, 25 May 2026, www.youtube.com/watch?v=bquegWos2M0. Accessed 26 May 2026.
Reuters. “Freed Gaza Flotilla Activists Allege Israeli Abuse Including Rape.” YouTube, 22 May 2026, www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHajhOpqhFA. Accessed 26 May 2026.
Reuters. “Israel Police Force Gaza Flotilla Activists to Kneel, Hands Tied.” YouTube, 21 May 2026, www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjwZ4fZq5og. Accessed 26 May 2026.
Speri, Alice, and Jeremy Barr. “Israel Says It Will Sue New York Times over Article on Sexual Abuse of Palestinian Prisoners.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 14 May 2026, www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/14/israel-sue-new-york-times-sexual-abuse-palestinian-prisoners.
“Press Briefing by Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher.” UN Web TV, 11 Oct. 2025, webtv.un.org/en/asset/k13/k130jdmvdz. Accessed 26 May 2026.
