Brazil and Spain Condemn Israel's Detention of Their Citizens on Gaza Aid Flotilla
Brazil and Spain jointly condemn Israel's detention of their citizens during a Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla, demanding their immediate release and consular access amid accusations of illegal actions.
- • Brazil and Spain condemn Israel's detention of their citizens on a pro-Palestinian aid flotilla.
- • Two activists, Thiago Ávila and Saif Abukeshek, were captured in international waters near Greece.
- • Both governments demand immediate return and consular access, calling the detentions illegal.
- • Israel alleges terrorism and illegal activity by the detainees, which Brazil and Spain reject.
Key details
The governments of Brazil and Spain jointly condemned Israel's detention of their citizens aboard a pro-Palestinian flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Two individuals, Brazilian Thiago Ávila and Spanish Saif Abukeshek, were captured in international waters near Greece, as part of a flotilla comprising 175 activists on 22 boats that departed from Barcelona on April 12. Both governments described the detentions as "kidnapping" and a clear violation of international law, asserting that Israel acted outside its jurisdiction. They demanded the immediate and safe return of their citizens along with full security guarantees and consular access.
The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that while other passengers and crew were disembarked on the island of Crete, Ávila and Abukeshek were not released. Israel's Foreign Ministry responded by labeling Abukeshek as a suspect of terrorism-related activities and Ávila for illegal acts. Despite this, Brazil and Spain maintain that the actions were illegal under international law and should be addressed in international courts.
The flotilla, named Global Sumud, was attempting to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza by delivering aid, further intensifying diplomatic tensions. The joint statement underscores the countries' firm stance against what they deem violations of their citizens' rights and international maritime law, pressing Israel for transparency and respect of diplomatic protocols.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
Source articles (2)
Source comparison
Names of detainees
Sources report different names for the detained citizens
estadao.com.br
"The two activists were captured by Israeli military forces while on the Global Sumud flotilla, identified as Thiago Ávila and Saif Abukeshek."
valor.globo.com
"The detainees were a Brazilian and a Spanish citizen, but their names are not provided."
Why this matters: One source names the detainees as Thiago Ávila and Saif Abukeshek, while the other source does not specify their names. This discrepancy is significant as it affects the identification of the individuals involved in the incident.