Eleven Australian activists who were among more than 400 participants detained by Israeli forces this week while attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla have denounced severe mistreatment during their 80‑hour imprisonment, including being denied food and water for days, witnessing an apparent torture of a fellow detainee, and being subjected to gunfire when they protested.

The Australian delegation reported Friday that all detained activists have been released and transferred to Istanbul, Türkiye, from where they are expected to return to Australia in the coming days.

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Speaking after his release, Australian activist Zack Schofield said that many of the detainees had not eaten for days and were denied water for two days.

In social media videos posted after his release, Schofield gave further details. He said that a Zionist soldier singled out a man who appeared to be Arab, took him into a shipping container, and tortured him while the group heard his screams. When some detainees protested, Schofield said that Israeli forces began shooting at people, looking for an excuse to inflict violence.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, rejected the accusations. He stated that none of the more than 400 flotilla participants were injured and dismissed previous allegations of violence against activists on Gaza‑bound flotillas as false.

Newman also addressed widely circulated images of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir mocking the detained activists while waving an Israeli flag, saying that Ben‑Gvir’s gesture had been condemned by Israel’s own leadership. The Flotilla’s official Telegram site called such condemnation a form of “performative outrage” and an attempt to control the narrative.

The Global Sumud Flotilla was the third attempt by the group to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian supplies. Israeli forces intercepted the vessels earlier this week, boarding them in international waters and taking all participants into custody before their release.

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