Ruptly
"Osman Tastan and Anas Mohammed, activists who were aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla and returned to the Netherlands on Sunday, accused the Israeli military of sexual, psychological and physical abuse during detention. Tastan and Mohammed were among the 175 activists captured by the Israeli military in international waters near Greece. Footage shows supporters gathering at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to welcome the activists. "They threatened us before the interception with drones, attacking drones, surveillance drones. Some people had to deal with rubber bullets shooting (being shot) around," Mohammed recalled. He added that they did not know where they were being taken or who had stopped them until the activists were made to board another ship, and persisted that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) took their warm clothes and medicines and strip-searched them. "Each time we demanded to get our jackets back or our pants back or that we get our medicines that we had on us before the interception, they attacked us, and they threw flash bombs," he shared. The activist underscored, "Some people had to face some sexual abuse. Most people faced psychological and physical abuse in this phase, including me." "As a Palestinian, I had to hide my roots and my Arab roots just to be safe. But that's not an option for Saif, and Saif has the Palestinian ID, so he can be treated in Israel in special laws that they can keep him there forever and do with him whatever they like," Mohammed noted. Tastan proclaimed he would remain on hunger strike until the two remaining activists, Palestinian-Spanish Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila, are released. An Israeli court has approved a two-day extension of detention for Keshek and Avila, who are accused of having ties with Hamas. "I have injured ribs, and I have injured nose, shoulders, arms, legs because they kept kicking and slapping," he shared, recalling the ordeal following 'kidnapping', during which he and others were forced to share a container with 60 people to sleep, with some left outside in deliberately wetted conditions. Human rights groups described the mission as a peaceful attempt to deliver aid and draw attention to Gaza's humanitarian crisis, with Amnesty International warning the interception raised 'grave concerns' and calling the detentions arbitrary."
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