Israel court extends detention of Gaza flotilla activists

An Israeli court has extended by two days the detention of two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla, who were brought to Israel for questioning, a rights group representing them has said.

The flotilla of more than 50 vessels had set sail from France, Spain and Italy with the aim of breaking Israel's blockade of Gaza and bringing supplies to the devastated Palestinian territory.

They were intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off Greece early on Thursday, with Israel saying it had removed some 175 activists, two of whom were taken to Israel for questioning.

Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila appeared before a court in Ashkelon.

"The court extended their detention by two days," Miriam Azem, international advocacy coordinator at the rights group Adalah, told AFP.

Israeli authorities had asked to extend their detention by four days, Ms Azem said.

In a separate statement, Adalah said the state attorney had presented a list of suspected offences committed by the pair, including "assisting the enemy during wartime" and "membership in and providing services to a terrorist organisation".

Adalah challenged the state's jurisdiction, arguing that the activists were seized in international waters.

The group's lawyers told the court Mr Avila and Mr Abu Keshek had testified to "severe physical abuse amounting to torture, including being beaten and held in isolation and blindfolded for days at sea".

No formal charges were filed against the two, it said.

"Both activists are continuing their hunger strike in protest of their unlawful detention and ill-treatment," the group added.

Adalah's lawyers had met the two men at Ashkelon's Shikma Prison yesterday.

They said Mr Avila recounted being "subjected to extreme brutality" by Israeli forces when the vessels were seized, saying he was "dragged face-down across the floor and beaten so severely that he passed out twice".

Since arriving in Israel, he said he had been "kept in isolation and blindfolded," according to Adalah.

Mr Abu Keshek was also "hand-tied and blindfolded ... and forced to lie face-down on the floor from the moment of his seizure" until reaching Israel, the group said.

Israel's foreign ministry said the pair were affiliated with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), a group accused by Washington of "clandestinely acting on behalf of" Palestinian militant group Hamas.

It said Mr Abu Keshek was a leading member of the PCPA, and that Avila was also linked to the organisation and "suspected of illegal activity".

Spain has rejected the Israeli accusation against Mr Abu Keshek and denounced his detention as "illegal".

Organisers of the latest flotilla said the Israeli interception took place more than 1,000 kilometres from Gaza and their equipment was smashed, leaving them facing a "calculated death trap at sea".

Dozens of intercepted activists disembarked on the Greek island of Crete on Friday, an AFP journalist said.

The Global Sumud Flotilla's first Mediterranean voyage to Gaza last year drew worldwide attention, before being intercepted by Israeli forces off the coasts of Egypt and Gaza.

Crew members, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, were arrested and expelled by Israeli forces.

Mr Avila was among the organisers of a flotilla that tried to bring aid to Gaza last year that was also intercepted by Israeli forces.

Israel controls all entry points into Gaza and the territory has been under Israeli blockade since 2007.

Throughout the Gaza war, there have been shortages of critical supplies in the Palestinian territory, with Israel at times cutting off aid entirely.