Israel says two Gaza flotilla activists deported after weeklong detention

After probe completed, Thiago Avila and Saif Abu Keshek released without charge; Israel accused them of being part of sanctioned group ‘clandestinely controlled by Hamas’

The two foreign activists who were taken off a Gaza-bound flotilla on May 1 have been deported from Israel, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national of Palestinian origin, and Brazilian Thiago Avila were brought to Israel for questioning last week after their flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli Navy in international waters off Greece.

Israel has accused both men of being affiliated with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), a group Washington has said is “clandestinely controlled by Hamas.” The PCPA is sanctioned by Israel and the US.

Despite this, no charges were filed against the men.

“After their investigation was completed, the two professional provocateurs, Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Ávila, from the provocation flotilla, were deported today from Israel,” the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

“Israel will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza.”

The Global Sumud Flotilla was the second initiative in a year aiming to break an Israeli naval blockade on war-ravaged Gaza. Rights groups say the enclave has suffered shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led invasion and massacre in southern Israel sparked the war there, though Israel has pointed to increased aid since an October 2025 ceasefire.

The flotilla’s vessels with 170 activists had set sail from France, Spain and Italy, and were intercepted off the coast of Crete, hundreds of nautical miles (over 1,000 kilometers) from Israel. With the exception of Avila and Abu Keshek, all the activists were freed in Greece the same day they were detained.

Israel has denounced the flotillas as publicity stunts that don’t bring any meaningful amounts of aid.

On Tuesday, an Israeli court extended the pair’s detention until Sunday to allow police more time to interrogate them, according to their lawyers.

The lawyers then filed an appeal against their continued detention, but it was rejected by a district court on Wednesday.

The United Nations, Brazil and Spain all called for their swift release. Spain summoned Israel’s top envoy in Madrid to protest the “unacceptable and intolerable” detention of the Spanish activist.

The two have been on a hunger strike since their arrest, Adalah, the legal group representing them, said Wednesday, adding that Abu Keshek had also started refusing water.

Adalah previously said authorities had accused the pair of “assisting the enemy during wartime” and “membership in and providing services to a terrorist organization.”