We were treated like animals, say flotilla activists detained by Israeli forces

INTERNATIONAL activists who arrived in Istanbul after being deported from Israel following the military's interception of their Gaza-bound flotilla have detailed how they had been subjected to violence and "treated like animals".

The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail last month seeking to ferry aid to war-battered Gaza but Israel blocked the boats, detaining more than 400 people including South Africans pro-Palestine activists. Some of the detainees have been deported since Friday. 

Of the 400 people, 137 activists from 13 countries flew into Istanbul on Saturday, among them 36 Turkish nationals.

"We were intercepted by a huge number of military vessels," Paolo Romano, a regional councillor from Lombardy in Italy, told AFP at Istanbul airport.

"Some boats were also hit by water cannons. All of the boats were taken by very heavily armed people and brought to shore," the 29-year-old said.

"They put us on our knees, facing down. And if we moved, they hit us. They were laughing at us, insulting us and hitting us," he said.

"They were using both psychological and physical violence."

Among those on board the flotilla, which counted some 45 vessels, were politicians and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

Romano said they tried to force them to admit they had entered Israel illegally.

"But we never entered Israel illegally. We were in international waters and it was our right to be there."

On landing, they were taken to a prison and held there without being allowed out and were not given bottled water, he said.

"They were opening the door during the night and shouting at us with guns to scare us," he said.

"We were treated like animals."

Iylia Balqis, a 28-year-old activist from Malaysia, said Israel's interception of the boats was "the worst experience".

"We were handcuffed (with hands behind our backs), we couldn't walk, some of us were made to lie face down on the ground, and then we were denied water, and some of us were denied medicine," she said.

The activists were flown to Istanbul on a specially-chartered Turkish Airlines plane.

In a post on X, the Israeli foreign ministry confirmed "137 more provocateurs of the Hamas–Sumud flotilla were deported to Turkey".

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan praised the activists as "brave individuals who gave voice to humanity's conscience" in a post on X and said Ankara would ensure all of its nationals were brought back, without giving an overall number.

Italian journalist Lorenzo D'Agostino, who was on board the flotilla to cover its mission, said they "were kidnapped in international waters when we were 55 miles (88 kilometres) from Gaza".

"It was two hellish days that we spent in prison. We are out now thanks to the pressure of the international public that supports Palestine," he said.

"I really hope this situation ends soon because it has been barbaric the way we have been treated."

Libyan activist Malik Qutait said he was not afraid and vowed to keep trying to reach Gaza.

"I will collect my group, arrange medicine, aid and a ship and I will try again," he said.

Cape Times