Australian activists arrested while trying to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza have complained to diplomatic officials of serious mistreatment by Israeli authorities, including physical beatings in a “dystopian” prison environment.
Fresh details have emerged about the experiences of Australian members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of ships that was intercepted by Israel’s navy off the coast of Gaza late last week.
Warning: This story contains details that some readers may find distressing.
Hundreds of activists, including seven Australians and Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, were arrested and detained in the high-security Ketziot prison, near the Israel-Egypt border in the Negev Desert.
The ABC has obtained redacted summaries of five reports prepared by Australian diplomatic staff in Israel who met with the Australians in custody.
The reports contain allegations of prison guards kicking and slapping the detainees, using “sleep deprivation” techniques and confiscating medication. Others said they were not physically abused but “humiliated”, with one claiming he was told to “dance like a monkey”. The men alleged they were placed in a “large cage” then yelled at by an Israeli government minister, who called them “terrorists”.
Some of the Australians reported that rough treatment from Israeli authorities began after the crews were brought to Ashdod Port in southern Israel, hours after the boats were intercepted in the Mediterranean.
The reports were provided to the Australian prisoners’ families by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), then compiled and shared with the ABC.
‘Slapped’ and ‘placed in a large cage’
One of the reports, believed to be about Surya McEwen, details alleged abuse he has received at the hands of Israeli authorities.
Australian activist Surya McEwen was arrested and detained by Israel as part of a humanitarian flotilla trying to reach Gaza. (Supplied)
It said he had told Australian officials from the country’s embassy in Tel Aviv, visiting the jail last Friday, that “minimal force was used” when his vessel was intercepted and the group was taken to land.
After that, he said, “he was treated much rougher and forcefully, including being slapped, having his arm dislocated and having his head slammed into the ground,” the report said.
It added he also alleged “that he was placed in a large cage with 80 other people for many hours while Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited and yelled abuse at them” last Thursday night.
The report recorded concerns Mr McEwen’s passport had been “destroyed”, given he said “Israeli soldiers tore up pages of his passport in front of him while on his vessel” because they said the “passport was microchipped”.
Australian holds grave concerns for health
Another of the reports, believed to be regarding Juliet Lamont, outlined allegations she had been “sprayed with a water cannon, and left to sit in an unventilated area with her hands tied and clothes soaked for 7 hours”.
“During this time, she said her head was repeatedly ‘shoved’ down by ISF,” the report for the consular visit on Friday said.
It noted Ms Lamont claimed “a guard had warned her not to drink water from the facility, and clean water was not being offered to her”.
“She was ‘gravely’ concerned about her physical health due to [an] underlying blood pressure condition, and reported feeling dehydrated, weak, dizzy, and confused.”
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Ms Lamont had “described the prison environment as ‘dystopian’ and was not eating food for fear of being poisoned”, and said her medication had been confiscated.
A follow-up visit on Sunday reported she was in better health, and had received her blood pressure medication.
Another detainee had complained “the water inside his cell was rancid” and there was no toilet paper available.
“He advised post that he had been forced to take off all his clothes, undo his hair (which was tied back in a pony tail) and ‘dance like a monkey’ in front of the prison guards,” the DFAT report stated.
Israeli Foreign Ministry says rights ‘fully upheld’
Israeli authorities earlier this week rejected allegations that Australians and other crew members in their custody were mistreated.
“The claims of the mistreatment of Australians who were on board are complete lies,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry told the ABC.
“Of course, all detainees from the Hamas–Sumud provocation were given access to water, food, and medical care … the detainees were not denied access to bathroom facilities — in fact they have a bathroom facility within the cells.
“All their legal rights, including access to medical care, were fully upheld.”
Family members call for detainees’ releaseLoading…
Family members of the Australians being held in Israel called on the government to do everything they could to secure the release of the detainees.
Mr McEwan’s brother, Anandan McEwan, said his family were “really worried” about mistreatment.
“He’s not an activist, he’s not extreme, he is so simple, caring, he’s an everyday Australian,” he said.
Mr McEwan spoke at a press conference in the northern New South Wales town of Ballina, alongside the families of other Australians being held in Israel.
Family members of the detained Australians held a press conference in Ballina today. (ABC News: Cathy Adams)
Judy Paterson said her son Hamish Paterson was “asking for help” to return home.
“I feel incredibly frustrated with … the non-actions of our government,” she said.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said the federal government was engaging with Israeli authorities and providing support to the Australians.
“We had made it clear that Australians should not be in a position of trying to breach the blockade which exists. And that was very much a matter in terms of their own personal safety,” he said.
“But in the circumstances that are now there, we will continue to provide consular assistance to these people.”
The lawyer representing the detained Australians, Jen Robinson, described the allegations as “human rights violations” by Israel.
“We call on Israel to respect the rights of these Australian citizens and to release them immediately,” she said in a statement.
Israeli officials said they had deported 171 activists. Greta Thunberg was among them.
Allegations detainees shown October 7 attack videos
Video emerged over the weekend of Israel’s national security minister visiting Ashdod Port and the Ketziot jail, where the flotilla crews were being held.
The far-right politician, who has been convicted of terror offences and faced sanctions from Australia and other nations for inciting violence against Palestinians, could be seen in the vision branding the activists as “terrorists”.Â
“Look at them, supporters of the killers,” Mr Ben-Gvir said.
“By the way, their boats were a huge mess. They did not really come for the flotilla or aid, but they came for Gaza, for the terrorists.”
One Australian detainee alleges to DFAT they were locked in a cage and yelled at by Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. (Pool: Debbie Hill via Reuters)
The DFAT reports detailed allegations that Israeli officials brought in televisions to the Ketziot prison and played videos of Hamas’ October 7 2023 attacks against Israel “on repeat on loud volume”.Â
That allegation tallies with the last flotilla intercepted by Israeli forces earlier this year, where crews were forced to watch similar videos.
“We are close to Gaza, we can hear the fighter jets flying over,” the detainee told diplomats to tell his brother.
“We are strong and we aren’t scared of these bastards.”
Read excerpts from the DFAT reports
These are reports written by diplomatic staff, after meeting with the Australians in custody. Their names were redacted.
Australian prisoner #1
Mr REDACTED told post that he was beaten by ISF during interception and transit, and had been ‘kicked in the side’ and ‘slapped in the face’ randomly by prison guards. He described being put into large ‘cages’, with 80 other men, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir berated them and called them ‘terrorists’. Mr REDACTED told post that the prison guards had taunted him by denying him water (just out of reach of the cage door). Mr REDACTED also alleged to post that the prison guards were using sleep deprivation as a form of torture, waking him and other inmates up throughout the night with loud noise and light.
Australian prisoner #2
Mr REDACTED told post that during the Israeli interception of his vessel, there was minimal force used. REDACTED advised post that he was not ziptied during his transfer from his vessel to the port. REDACTED said that once he arrived to Ashdod Port, he was treated much rougher and forcefully, including being slapped, having his arm dislocated and having his head slammed into the ground. Mr REDACTED also alleged to post that he was placed in a large cage with 80 other people for many hours while Israeli National Security Minister Ben-Gvir visited and yelled abuse at them on the eve of 2 October 2025. Mr REDACTED was offered no water or food throughout the day.
Australian prisoner #3
Ms REDACTED claims she was subjected to ‘humiliating’ ill treatment when the Israeli Security Forces (ISF) intercepted her vessel. She claimed her hands had been zip tied behind her back, sprayed with a water cannon, and left to sit in an unventilated area with her hands tied and clothes soaked for 7 hours. During this time, she said her head was repeatedly ‘shoved’ down by ISF. Ms REDACTED told post that when she arrived at Ketziot prison, she was taken to a room with other women, where National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir berated the women and called them ‘terrorists’.
Australian prisoner #4
Mr REDACTED said he had been ‘manhandled’, ‘humiliated’ and ‘intimidated’, but had not been physically assaulted by Israeli prison authorities. He advised post that he had been forced to take off all his clothes, undo his hair (which was tied back in a pony tail) and ‘dance like a monkey’ in front of the prison guards. Mr REDACTED advised post that he had been put into ‘large cages’ with other male inmates, while National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, berated them and called them ‘terrorists’.
Australian prisoner #5
Mr REDACTED advised Tel Aviv Embassy that he was treated professionally and with care during the Israeli interception of his vessel, with Israeli soldiers checking on his crew regularly and making sure they were comfortable and had sufficient water. Mr REDACTED advised that the treatment became much rougher when he arrived at the Port, noting that he was ziptied, yelled at and treated aggressively by soldiers. Mr REDACTED noted to Tel Aviv Embassy however that he did not experience any physical abuse or assault, rather intense verbal abuse and humiliating and degrading treatment.