What Palestinians 'experience all the time' : Deported Gaza flotilla activists accuse Israel of physical assault

Israeli soldiers allegedly "attacked" and "beat" them, an activist claimed, as Israel on Thursday (May 21) announced that it had deported all the foreign activists who were seized from a Gaza-bound flotilla. This comes as reports of their treatment in custody stirred a major global outcry. The activists were among hundreds of people from several countries who had boarded vessels attempting to break Israel's blockade on Gaza. Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla at sea earlier this week, detaining everyone on board before transferring them to facilities inside Israel.

Activists deported

By Thursday, deportation flights had begun leaving southern Israel. Turkish officials confirmed that 422 activists, including 85 Turkish nationals, were flown out on three chartered aircraft arranged by Ankara. Several others were reportedly sent directly back to their home countries.

Scenes at Istanbul airport quickly turned emotional. Supporters waving Palestinian flags gathered at the VIP terminal as the first group of deported activists arrived home. Some emerged visibly exhausted, while others raised slogans in support of Palestine.

One Turkish activist, Bulal Kitay, accused Israeli forces of physically assaulting detainees during custody.

Israeli forces "attacked us. Each of us was beaten, women and men," he said after landing in Istanbul, adding that such treatment reflected what Palestinians "experience all the time."

Video of detainee mistreatment goes viral

Earlier this week, controversy erupted after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir posted a video online showing detained activists kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads pressed to the ground. The footage triggered sharp criticism internationally and even drew criticism from senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.

Countries including Spain, Italy, Ireland and the United Kingdom reacted strongly. Some European leaders reportedly pushed for sanctions against Ben Gvir, while Britain summoned Israel's senior diplomat over what it described as an "inflammatory video."

Legal representatives for the activists also raised alarm over alleged mistreatment in detention. Adalah, the legal rights group assisting flotilla members, earlier on Thursday said some detainees reported broken ribs and injuries caused by rubber bullets. "We know of at least two participants who were hospitalised... both of them were shot by rubber bullets," Adalah's legal director Suhad Bishara told AFP. Italian journalist Alessandro Mantovani, who was deported separately, claimed activists were handcuffed, shackled and assaulted while being transported to the airport.

"They beat us up. They kicked us and punched us and shouted 'Welcome to Israel'," he alleged after returning to Italy.

Israel defended its actions, insisting it would not allow any attempt to breach what it called the "lawful naval blockade" on Gaza. The country has tightly controlled access to the territory since 2007, with restrictions becoming even harsher after the October 7 Hamas attack and the war that followed.