Gaza flotilla activists slammed for 'provocative' dance demanding release of alleged sex offender

Two female Gaza flotilla activists have gone viral for dancing provocatively while wearing keffiyes and demanding the release of an accused serial sex predator. The video reportedly shows the women aboard one of the ships near the Greek island of Crete. They can be seen dancing with their stomachs bare, and the keffiyes covering their head and faces, while making the Hamas triangle symbol. Spanish-Korean activist Mi Hoa La has the Palestinian flag wrapped around her hips, which the other woman later pulls off and shows to the camera. The words "Free Saif Free Thiago" are written on the flag, referencing Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Ávila. Both of them were arrested last Thursday when the Israeli Navy intercepted their flotilla for suspected "illegal activity". Ávila has also been accused of “sexual misconduct” with three women on the flotillas. The women are being slammed by netizens for supporting a sex offender.

Heidi Bachram, whose husband was killed by Hamas, shared the clip on X and wrote, "Flotilla members are dancing like sexy terrorists and making the Hamas triangle symbol to try and free their leaders. I don’t think this is helping." She later posted an update, saying, "Looks like the sexy terrorists dancing video was deleted by the Flotilla members. I guess they realised it wasn’t very helpful either." Heidi added in the other comment, "The gross irony is these people support the regime in Iran that imprisons women for dancing exactly like this in public." Emily Schrader, founder of the Founder Iran Israel Alliance, said, the women should be let into "Gaza to perform their pro-Hamas dance. I’m sure it’ll end very well."

Gaza flotilla dance video

Sexual misconduct allegations against Avila

After the fleet set sail from Barcelona on April 12, 2026, a Palestinian organisation named Heart of Falastin raised allegations of sexual misconduct, claiming an unnamed senior steering committee member (identified by The Jerusalem Post as Thiago Ávila) engaged in an improper relationship. The Global Sumud Flotilla's independent Ethics Committee launched an investigation and three women involved were questioned. The committee issued a statement claiming that the women denied any misconduct occurred.

Hamas terror group ties allegations against Ávila and Keshek

Ávila, a Brazilian and Keshek of Spain are accused of having links to the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad group, with alleged ties to Hamas. The United States claims that the organisation is “clandestinely acting on behalf of” the Hamas terror group. Ávila has further denied that he violated ethics by having sex with three volunteers. An Israeli court extended their detention on Tuesday.

The Brazilian and Spanish governments have hit out against the arrest, calling it “unlawful abduction." “This blatantly illegal action by the Israeli authorities, outside their jurisdiction, constitutes an affront to international law, is subject to adjudication before international courts,” the countries said. They were among about 175 activists detained after 22 boats were intercepted in international waters near Greece. The others were released.

Hadeel Abu Salih, a lawyer of a rights group who represented them at Tuesday's hearing, told reporters, "We are talking about two foreign nationals that were arrested in international waters approximately a thousand kilometres from Gaza and brought into Israel against their will." She said their detention conditions "amount to psychological torture". "Both Thiago and Saif are both kept in isolation since they were moved to the custody of the Israeli prison services, and are blindfolded each time they are taken out of the cell, even when they go through a medical procedure," she added.