A Canadian epidemiologist says she experienced psychological torture in Israeli custody after she was detained while participating in a flotilla trying to bring aid to Gaza.
Nima Machouf was one of six Canadians detained by the Israeli military on Wednesday while in international waters.
She spoke to Radio-Canada’s Tout un matin from Istanbul on Friday after her release and said she was doing fine, but that three Canadian activists from Newfoundland remain detained.
Machouf said Israeli helicopters intercepted the flotilla, which included nine boats carrying 145 activists, in the middle of the night.
The Israeli military brought the activists, handcuffed, to two prison complexes, Machouf said.
At the second, she said the Israelis prevented them from sleeping. They played music repeatedly throughout the night and would wake up the detainees by shining lights, making noise and shaking them. She described the treatment as psychological torture.
Machouf said the activists were detained in a prison that also held Palestinian prisoners.
“Compared to what they do to the Palestinians, it was absolutely nothing, but it was still aggressive,” she said.
The flotilla was carrying some food and medical aid destined for Gaza hospitals.
“Another futile attempt to breach the legal naval blockade and enter a combat zone ended in nothing,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry wrote on X.
Machouf said she and other activists were on a hunger strike while detained.
Organizers said the fleet was intercepted around 220 kilometres off the coast of Gaza. Cameras aboard the vessels, one large passenger ship and eight smaller sailboats broadcast the interceptions live.
The boats could be seen being approached by fast-moving ships and then boarded by Israeli troops, who then cut off the broadcast. Activists also said an Israeli helicopter flew over them. No injuries were reported.
Turkey strongly condemned and called Israel’s latest interception in international waters an “act of piracy.” Its Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it was a serious violation of international law and accused Israel of escalating tensions and undermining peace efforts.
Turkey has launched diplomatic efforts to secure the immediate release and safe return of its citizens and was co-ordinating with other countries regarding the status of other activists, the statement said.
The interceptions last week of the Global Sumud Flotilla drew widespread condemnation and sparked large protests in several major cities and a one-day strike across Italy. Some of the deported activists had described mistreatment at the hands of Israeli guards, claims that Israel denies.