Tel Aviv, MINA – Foreign activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid ship seized by Israeli forces have initiated an open-ended hunger strike to protest their detention, according to a statement released Monday by the Adalah legal center, Anadolu Agency reported.
The Handala ship, carrying humanitarian supplies such as baby formula, food, and medicine, was intercepted off the coast of Gaza on Saturday night. Onboard were 21 unarmed civilians, including lawmakers, healthcare workers, and volunteers.
“Most of them remain on an open-ended hunger strike to protest their forced detention,” said Adalah.
Court hearings were held on Monday for 14 of the detained activists who refused to comply with deportation orders at Givon Prison in Ramla, central Israel. During the proceedings, the activists emphasized the humanitarian nature of their mission, which aimed to challenge what they called Israel’s “illegal siege” and ongoing “genocide” in Gaza.
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Adalah reported that the activists described appalling detention conditions, including exposure to severe physical abuse, extreme heat without proper ventilation, and the lack of basic sanitary supplies for women. US national Christian Smalls and several female detainees were among those who shared testimonies of mistreatment.
Five activists have already been deported or are expected to be deported soon, according to the legal center.
The Handala was part of a broader campaign led by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) to break Israel’s long-standing blockade on Gaza. The ship departed from Italy and attempted to deliver aid to the besieged enclave.
Israel has intercepted several Gaza-bound ships in recent months. In June, Israeli forces seized the Madleen, detaining 12 international activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan. In May, the MV Conscience was reportedly attacked by drones near Malta.
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The Gaza Strip, home to 2.4 million people, has been under a full Israeli blockade since March 2, exacerbating famine conditions and preventing vital aid from reaching civilians. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 147 people, including 88 children, have died from starvation since October 2023.
Despite mounting international pressure, the Israeli military continues its aggression in Gaza, which has claimed nearly 60,000 Palestinian lives most of them women and children, since October 7, 2023. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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