Activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, who were abducted by Israel in international waters, have said the violence and mistreatment they experienced at the hands of Israeli soldiers could not be compared to what Palestinians endure.
The activists, who were brought to Istanbul Airport aboard three Turkish Airlines flights after being raided and detained by Israel in international waters, spoke to Anadolu Agency about their experiences during detention.
Canadian activist Ehab Lotayef showed his bandaged hand while recounting the Israeli attack on boats.
Lotayef said one Israeli soldier had asked him for help with translation, while another soldier “did not like” that he was assisting others.
“But one Israeli soldier didn’t like that I was giving water to people. So, he came and stabbed me in my hand,” Lotayef said.
He said he had lost sensation in the wounded hand and added that activists were subjected to severe violence, with some suffering broken ribs.
“We were beaten real bad, real, real bad. It wasn’t beating as self-defence. It was beating as punishment. They were punishing us,” he said.
In the Israeli custody, notorious minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video on social media showing himself taunting the pro-Palestine activists, who were zip-tied and forced to kneel after being detained by Israeli forces in international waters.
The video sparked global outrage.
Across Europe, governments summoned Israeli ambassadors to condemn the video. Italy demanded an apology, Spain said it would not tolerate maltreatment of its citizens, and France demanded the release of all the detainees.
The US envoy to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said Ben-Gvir had “betrayed (the) dignity of his nation”.
“Look at them now. See how they look now, not heroes and not anything,” Ben-Gvir says in the video as he walks by the activists while carrying a large Israeli flag.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who leads the most extremist regime in Israel’s history, said Ben-Gvir’s conduct was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms”.
But Ben Gvir appeared as defiant as ever, calling the images “a great source of pride”.
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Bilal Kitay, a Turkish national, held his wife in his arms.
This was his second trip with the “Flotilla for Gaza”, on board a boat with about 10 other activists.
He insisted that the Israeli attack on boats was “much, much more violent than the previous one” in April.
“They attacked us,” he said. “Each of us was beaten, women and men… It’s what Palestinians experience all the time,” he said, AFP news agency reported.
“Unfortunately, they treat their animals better. They alone consider themselves human,” he said. Kitay is also planning to leave on the next convoy.
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Another Canadian activist, Michael France from Vancouver, said he joined the mission as part of a humanitarian aid effort for Gaza.
“It’s part of a humanitarian aid going to Gaza, where humanity is trying to do what humans do when there’s a humanitarian crisis,” France said.
France said he was held with around 160 people inside a shipping container on one of two boats converted into prison vessels.
