An Israeli court has extended the detention of two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla until Sunday, a rights group representing them said, as authorities continue to question the pair.
Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian national Thiago Avila appeared before a court in the city of Ashkelon for their second hearing on Tuesday, after they were brought to Israel for questioning last week.
The two, held in a prison in the southern Israeli city, were among dozens of activists aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off the coast of Greece early on Thursday.
At their first hearing on Sunday, the court extended their detention by two days. A second hearing was held on Tuesday, where both appeared with their legs shackled.
“The court approved their detention until Sunday morning” at Tuesday’s hearing, Miriam Azem, international advocacy coordinator at the Israeli rights group Adalah, told AFP.
An AFP journalist saw the two activists brought to the courtroom.
Adalah said the two activists were on hunger strike, with Tuesday their sixth day of protest.
On Monday, the rights group said the pair had been subjected to physical and psychological abuse in detention.
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Both Abu Keshek and Avila are being held in isolation, with “high-intensity lighting” on at all times in their cells, Adalah said, adding that Avila was being held in “extremely cold temperatures”.
“They are kept blindfolded at all times whenever they are moved outside their cells, including during medical examinations,” it said.
