PNN – Officials of the Al-Samoud flotilla reported the immoral torture and mistreatment of activists to break the siege of Gaza by the Zionists.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, while the Zionist regime has targeted several freedom convoys that set out to break the siege of Gaza and help the people of this strip with its terrorist activities over the past two years and has arrested a large number of prominent international activists, since last week it has repeatedly attacked new freedom flotillas on the way to Gaza under the name of the “Al-Samoud” flotilla, and reports have been published about the persecution and torture of freedom activists.
The current voyage of the Samoud flotilla is of great symbolic importance, as it follows a previous attempt by the flotilla in 2025, when it was targeted by the Israeli navy in international waters and hundreds of participants were detained before being expelled.
The Associated Press reported that the Samoud flotilla approached Gaza last fall with dozens of boats before being targeted or forced to turn back.
The Al-Samoud flotilla officials describe their campaign as the “largest coordinated civilian maritime mobilization” toward the Gaza Strip, as part of a declared voyage to break the naval blockade imposed on the Strip.
The organizers of the Al-Samoud flotilla say that their current mission, aimed at delivering relief aid and opening a civilian sea crossing to Gaza, is in addition to supporting relief and reconstruction efforts in the Strip. The official Al-Samoud flotilla page notes that the aid includes food and milk powder, medical supplies, hygiene materials and educational tools.
The brutal and immoral torture of the Zionists against the activists of the Global Solidarity Flotilla
Yousef Ajiseh, head of the International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza, published testimonies from activists of the Global Solidarity Flotilla on Friday, detailing the ill-treatment they suffered during detention by Israeli forces after seizing several boats in international waters off the coast of Greece.
Ajiseh stated that activists who were released or were able to give their testimonies reported that some of them had been subjected to multiple forms of abuse, including “sexual violence, beatings, dragging, handcuffing and blindfolding.”
He added that the abuses included “rape, sexual harassment and damage to body parts,” describing what had happened as “a flagrant violation of human dignity.”
Youssef Ajiseh stressed that these abuses reflect the true nature of this institution, its criminal and barbaric behavior, and the extent of the threat it poses to regional and global stability.
The head of the International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza expressed surprise at the weak international response to the incident and the lack of widespread condemnation, especially from the European Union, of the actions of the Zionist regime.
He added that in light of Israel’s ongoing crimes resulting from the lack of international accountability, imposing sanctions on the regime has become an urgent necessity, and that this incident is a continuation of its violations of international law and international institutions in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Israel continues its crimes with impunity due to the lack of effective international action.
Referring to the great danger posed by the Zionist regime to peace and stability in the region and the world, Yousef Ajiseh said that if activists of non-Arab and non-Muslim nationalities have been subjected to these violations, what should be the situation of the people of Gaza and the West Bank?
Call for the release of activists
Ajisse also called for the release of two activists who are still in detention: Saif Abu Kashk and Thiago Avila.
He said: The Israeli authorities have been detaining and interrogating the two for several days. We also call for the protection of ships heading to the Gaza Strip and for assurances that they are not attacked or pirated in international or regional waters of some European countries.
In this context, the Global Freedom Flotilla considers the continued detention of Abu Kashk and Avila illegal, stressing that they are being detained for their commitment to humanitarian solidarity with the people of Gaza. The flotilla calls for their immediate and unconditional release, as well as the release of the other detainees.
On April 29, Israeli forces seized boats belonging to the flotilla in international waters off the island of Crete, carrying hundreds of activists from several countries.
According to the flotilla’s organizers, 345 participants from 39 countries, including Turkish citizens, were on board. The Israeli military seized 21 boats carrying approximately 175 activists, while the remaining boats continued their journey towards Greek territorial waters.
This was the second Global Freedom Flotilla initiative, following a previous attempt in September 2025 that ended with Israel attacking the ships while they were sailing in international waters and detaining hundreds of international activists on board.
Israel has been blockaded the Gaza Strip since 2007, displacing approximately 1.5 million Palestinians out of the 2.4 million residents of the Gaza Strip after demolishing their homes over two years, starting in October 2023.
In a related development, the Global Gaza Freedom Flotilla announced its departure from Greece to the Turkish island of Marmaris to prepare for discussions on the next steps to break the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip.
The flotilla explained that the participating boats will arrive in the Turkish city of Marmaris to attend a major international meeting, which will include more than 30 boats and ships to support the humanitarian mission.
Rania Petris, a spokeswoman for the flotilla, said that the meeting will include all participants and relevant parties to discuss and reassess the situation after departing Barcelona and Sicily.
Petrice accused Israel of attacking the Freedom Flotilla off the Greek coast, saying it was unacceptable and required a firm stance.
The spokesman also accused Israel of violating the rights of Brazilian activist Thiago Avila and his Spanish colleague Seif Abukoshak, who were arrested during an attack on the previous flotilla in international waters off the Greek island of Crete.
Petrice said that Thiago and Abukoshak are still on hunger strike and have been subjected to torture. They are even blindfolded during medical examinations, which is a complete violation of human rights.
The spokesperson for the Global Fleet of Resistance concluded by emphasizing that despite all the suffering and challenges, the participating activists will continue their support for the Palestinian people.
Zionist history of attacks on Gaza flotillas
October 2025 saw the Israeli regime’s heavy attack on the “Resilience Flotilla” in its previous mission, where the flotilla’s organizers reported that at least 21 ships – out of 44 – were attacked in international waters, leading to the arrest of dozens of activists.
The attack on the Freedom Flotilla and the attack on the Mavi Marmara in May 2010 were the most severe and influential attacks on a Gaza flotilla in the eyes of the global public, as at that time the flotilla consisted of 6 ships carrying 663 activists from 37 countries.
Israeli forces targeted the ship 64 nautical miles from the coast, and Israeli Navy commandos carried out the landing operation using helicopters and speedboats, during which live ammunition was used, resulting in the martyrdom of 10 Turkish activists and the injury of dozens.
But the shock of Israeli violence was followed by a wave of pro-Gaza campaigns, each time met with Israeli attacks, including:
-The Libyan ship “Omid” in July 2010
-The Malaysian ship “Ruh Rachel Corrie” in May 2011.
-The Canadian ships “Al-Tahrir” and “Al-Hurriya” from Ireland in November 2011.
-The ships “Amal” and “Zeitouna” which departed from the Spanish port of Barcelona in September 2016.
The Israeli Navy also continued to target Gaza-breaking ships during its genocidal war against the Gaza Strip, including the Madeleine, the 36th ship in the Freedom Flotilla coalition, after it departed from the Italian port of Catania en route to the Gaza Strip in early June 2025.
The Israeli military also targeted the Hanzala on July 13, 2025, when the ship departed from Italy on a voyage under the slogan “For the Children of Gaza” and had previously participated in extensive solidarity initiatives around the world between 2023 and 2024.
It should be noted that the first naval operation to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip was successful in August 2008, where two ships, the “Freedom” and the “Gaza Al-Hurra”, were able to reach the Gaza coast, while the last ships to arrive were the Qatari ship “Al-Karama”, which also reached the Gaza port in December 2008.