claims that Israel denies. Some 450 activists were arrested as Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 42 boats seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid to the famine-stricken territory. Those detained between Wednesday and Friday were brought to Israel, where many remain in prison. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it offered voluntary deportation to all of the activists, and those that remain in detention chose to stay there in order to go through a legal deportation process. On his return at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport late Saturday, Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers withheld medicines and treated prisoners “like monkeys”.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said the claims of mistreatment were “brazen lies”. Among those detained were Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela, and several European lawmakers. Tommasi said Thunberg was singled out by Israeli forces after being arrested. (Jamaica Gleaner)