MIAMI LAKES, Fla. \u2014 Rita Martinez was wearing a pink \u201cPalestine\u201d jersey by Wear The Peace on Friday in Miami Lakes, as she talked about her brother, a Global Sumud Flotilla activist.<\/p>\n
Martinez said she feared that he was among the hundreds of activists who Israeli soldiers had detained on Monday<\/a> and Tuesday<\/a> at sea. <\/p>\n U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent referred to the flotilla as \u201cpro-terror\u201d and imposed sanctions against several European activists. <\/p>\n \u201cThey are taking food, clothing, pampers, baby food,\u201d Martinez said about the purpose of the Global Sumud Flotilla that challenged the blockade on Gaza. <\/p>\n Israel has been enforcing a sea blockade of Gaza since Hamas took control in 2007, and intensified it after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostage. <\/p>\n The Global Sumud Flotilla had a live feed video from cameras on boats online and reported that at least 31 boats out of the 50 that departed on May 14 from Turkey were intercepted, and 428 activists were unaccounted for. <\/p>\n Israel reported detaining 430 activists after intercepting 41 boats. <\/p>\n Martinez said she was terrified after she saw the videos that Israel\u2019s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir <\/a>released on Wednesday<\/a>. The images later drew the ire of Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they are willing to do that and show it and be super blatant about it, I can\u2019t imagine what\u2019s going on behind closed doors,\u201d Martinez said. <\/p>\n On Tuesday<\/a>, Italy\u2019s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for an urgent review of Israel\u2019s use of force, and Ireland\u2019s Prime Minister Miche\u00e1l Martin said the detentions were \u201cabsolutely unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n On Wednesday<\/a>, Netanyahu ordered the activists\u2019 deportation, and British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Ben-Gvir\u2019s video \u201cviolates the most basic standards of respect and dignity.\u201d <\/p>\n On Thursday<\/a>, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced the activists were deported, and Netanyahu said that although Israel has to stop \u201cprovocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters,\u201d Ben-Gvir<\/a>\u2019s treatment was \u201cnot in line with Israel\u2019s values and norms.\u201d <\/p>\n Also on Thursday<\/a>, French foreign affairs minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemned Ben-Gvir<\/a>\u2019s treatment of the activists. <\/p>\n A group of 420 activists departed Israel on Thursday. Some talked to reporters about beatings, tasers, and attack dogs after arriving at Istanbul, Athens, and other cities in Europe on Thursday<\/a> and Friday<\/a>. <\/p>\n There were journalists among the activists. Alessandro Mantovani, an Italian journalist for the daily Il Fatto Quotidiano, told The Associated Press<\/a> that he and the activists were put on their knees and blindfolded.<\/p>\n \u201cThey repositioned mine 30 times because I kept trying to look around. And there\u2019s absolutely no possibility in this situation to say \u2018I\u2019m a member of parliament\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m a journalist\u2019 \u2014 you\u2019re dealing with machines that scream and accompany their screaming with physical gestures,” Mantovani told the AP<\/a>. <\/p>\n Mantovani said Israeli authorities put them flat on the ground, then on their knees, with zip ties on their wrists tied down to a metal structure. <\/p>\n \u201cSo you\u2019re forced to travel in an extremely uncomfortable position on rough concrete. And I had cramps in my legs the whole time, obviously,\u201d Mantovani told the AP<\/a>. <\/p>\n Mantovani said they were transferred to a ship, entered through a small hatch, were shoved and dragged by force with their arms twisted behind their backs, and forced to kneel in front of a wall with their heads down.<\/p>\n \u201cFlat on my stomach, hands behind my back, face pressed, head pressed against the soaking wet and dirty floor of this ship \u2014 pressed down with their feet \u2014 and then they pressed my hands behind my back,\u201d Mantovani told the AP<\/a>. <\/p>\n Once inside the container, he said the abuse continued.<\/p>\n \u201cI was kicked in the shin. Honestly, I don\u2019t expect it. And they say, \u2018Welcome to Israel.\u2019 Then a punch to the face, one from this side, one from that side. A closed-fist punch,\u201d Mantovani told the AP<\/a>. \u201cI moved to get up, and I got kicked in the leg. A little jolt from a taser to the ribs. And then I make it out the other side of this container and reach the deck.\u201d <\/p>\n