23.05.2026 18:50
After the Israeli army's illegal intervention against the Global Sumud Fleet carrying aid to Gaza, horrific allegations of torture and sexual assault have emerged. Statements from the fleet and activists indicate that 428 people, including Turks, were subjected to at least 15 instances of sexual abuse, including rape, electric shocks, and severe beatings in the containers where they were held. The atrocity, which Italy has launched a torture investigation into, has sparked widespread outrage in the international community.
The Israeli army, which attacked the Global Sumud Fleet in international waters to break the blockade on the Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian aid to the region, has been revealed to have subjected the detained activists to horrific torture. Consecutive statements from the fleet and released activists have exposed the extent of the brutality in international waters. It was reported that during the intervention and detention process, at least 15 cases of sexual abuse, including rape, occurred, and activists were given electric shocks and had their bones broken.
"IN DARK CONTAINERS, THEY SAID 'WELCOME TO ISRAEL' AND BEAT THEM"
According to the statements, 428 activists from 44 countries, including 78 Turkish citizens, were transferred to a ship named "INS Nahshon," believed to be financed by the USA. Locked in darkened containers there, the activists were subjected to systematic violence by commando units. Yassine Benjelloun, who had previously participated in fleet missions, described the attack as follows:
"They threw me into a dark container. Suddenly I heard the sound 'Welcome to Israel.' Then I started receiving blows. First they hit my head, then my ribs. I fell to the ground and was kicked. I heard people screaming, then the screams suddenly stopped."
ELECTRIC SHOCKS, BROKEN BONES, AND SEXUAL ASSAULT
Activist Veronica Otero, recounting the three-day torture the detainees endured, summarized the horror on the ship: "They all suffered mistreatment in many ways. Not a single person came out unharmed. There were more than 36 bone fractures; people were in great pain. Some couldn't breathe due to broken ribs."
The report stated that at least 12 cases of sexual abuse occurred on the military ship, and some activists were stripped naked and photographed while Israeli personnel laughed and mocked them. A Spanish activist said she was pushed against a wall and given electric shocks to various parts of her body for minutes, beaten almost to the point of losing consciousness.
"THEY GAVE US NO WATER FOR TWO DAYS"
Italian activist Luca Poggi, speaking to Reuters after being released by Israel, confirmed that most people received electric shocks and were denied access to lawyers. Another Italian activist said they were held on the ship without water for two days, wrapping themselves in plastic and cardboard to keep warm at night. He added that when they were brought ashore, they were forced to kneel for hours, those who moved were kicked, and they were constantly moved around to prevent them from sleeping.
"THIS BRUTALITY IS A SMALL EXAMPLE OF WHAT PALESTINIANS ENDURE"
In a statement from the Global Sumud Fleet, an important reminder was made to the world public: "While the world's attention is focused on the suffering of our participants, we cannot emphasize enough that this is only a small example of the brutality Israel inflicts on Palestinian detainees every day."
Many countries, including Turkey, Spain, Jordan, Pakistan, Brazil, and Indonesia, condemned Israel's move as a "clear violation of international law," while it was reported that prosecutors in Italy have launched official investigations into the crimes of detention, torture, and sexual abuse.