Eight of the twelve activists from the “Madleen” ship, which sought to break the Israeli siege on Gaza, have appeared before an Israeli Detention Review Tribunal on Wednesday, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC). The remaining four have been deported.
In a statement released Wednesday night, the coalition announced that a legal team from Adalah (the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel) represented the activists in the hearings at the Ramleh detention center.
The coalition condemned the treatment of the activists, saying Israeli authorities treated them as if they had “illegally entered the illegal settler state, despite abducting them from international waters and forcibly transferring them into Israeli territory,” adding that “each has also been issued a 100-year entry ban.”
According to the statement, Adalah’s legal team argued that Israel’s seizure of the Madleen, the detention of peaceful volunteers, and the obstruction of humanitarian aid to Gaza violates international law.
They also emphasized that the “blockade on Gaza is an illegal act of collective punishment and breaches provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice in the genocide case of South Africa v. Israel.”
Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila, who is also a member of the steering committee of the FFC, has been on a hunger and water strike since 4 am Monday, the statement said. Others reported poor conditions in detention, including bed bugs and undrinkable tap water.
In an earlier statement, the coalition had announced that lawyers from Adalah met with 10 of the detainees. Meanwhile, journalists Omar Faiad of Al Jazeera and Yanis Mhamdi each had private counsel.
The activists were reportedly forced to choose between signing deportation papers or remaining in detention and appearing before a tribunal. The coalition described their continued detention as “unlawful, politically motivated, and a direct violation of international law.”
The FFC said it encouraged some volunteers to accept expedited deportation so they could regain access to communication and continue to advocate for their fellow participants. All four deported activists—Baptiste Andre (France), Greta Thunberg (Sweden), Sergio Toribio (Spain), and Omar Faiad (France)—formally rejected Israel’s claim of unlawful entry, arguing their mission was purely humanitarian and that both the boat’s interception and their detention are illegal.
Israel requested that the eight activists remain in custody until deportation, according to the statement. Under Israeli law, those issued deportation orders may be detained for 72 hours before forced removal unless they agree to leave earlier. A decision from the tribunal is pending.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition had announced on Tuesday that Israeli forces intercepted the “Madleen” ship at dawn as it attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza residents. The ship had set sail from Sicily on June 1.
Meanwhile, the “Sumud Convoy” solidarity mission entered Libya early Tuesday, en route to Egypt and ultimately the Rafah crossing with Gaza.
Videos posted on the convoy’s official Facebook page showed participants chanting slogans including “Resistance, resistance” and “To Gaza we go, millions marching in a row” at the Ras Jedir border crossing between Tunisia and Libya.
The convoy comprises 14 buses and around 100 cars, carrying approximately 1,400 to 1,500 people, according to spokesperson Ghassan Al-Henshiri, who spoke to private Tunisian radio station Mosaique FM.
The convoy plans to stay three to four days in Libya before proceeding to Egypt, though Egyptian authorities have not yet granted clearance for their entry, Al-Henshiri said. However, he noted “positive indicators” from Cairo.
Egypt closed the Rafah crossing in May 2024 following an Israeli incursion into the Palestinian side of Rafah, during which the Israeli army seized control of the crossing and raised its flag. Cairo rejected any coordination with Israeli forces at the time, demanding their withdrawal from the crossing.
In a related development, Saif Abukeshek, head of the Global Coalition Against the Occupation in Palestine, told Al Manassa that more than 3,000 people are expected to arrive to Cairo on Thursday to join the‘ Global March to Gaza’.
He said the activists have not received Egyptian approval to hold the march but insisted that the incident with the “Madleen” had only strengthened their resolve to pressure Israel.
Abukeshek added that there is coordination between the march organizers, the Sumud Convoy, and the Freedom Flotilla to highlight Israel’s daily crimes against Gaza’s civilians and its policy of starvation and siege.
According to the published call for participation, demonstrators from around the world are scheduled to gather in Cairo on June 12.
Organizers emphasize that the movement is civic, apolitical, independent, and unaffiliated with any political ideology or religion, describing it as fully peaceful and not aimed at forcibly breaching any barriers or borders.
In March, Israel suspended humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza “until further notice” after the first phase of a ceasefire ended. Later that month, it launched a renewed assault on the territory.
