Freedom Flotilla Boat 'Handala' - All Updates

28/07/2025

This page provides ongoing updates from Adalah on the situation of 21 international activists detained by Israeli authorities after the unlawful interception of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s ship, the Handala, in international waters on 27 July 2025.

Update | 28 July 2025, 8:45 PM Jerusalem time

The Israeli Detention Review Tribunal has upheld the continued detention of the 14 volunteers who were aboard the Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship Handala and refused to consent to an expedited deportation process, until deportation is carried out. Adalah will continue to provide updates as they come.

Update | 28 July 2025, 17:30 Jerusalem Time

Today, Monday 28 July 2025, at 16:00, hearings concluded at Givon Prison, concerning the continued detention of the 14 volunteers who were aboard the Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship Handala and refused to consent to an expedited deportation process. The volunteers are on hunger strike. The hearings were held by the Detention Review Tribunal at Givon Prison facility in Ramleh and lasted over six hours. Adalah attorneys Dr. Suhad Bishara and Nareman Shehadeh-Zoabi represented the volunteers before the tribunal.

During the hearings, the volunteers stressed that their mission was humanitarian—motivated by the need to act against Israel’s illegal siege and the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The genocide, now in its 22nd month, has caused mass starvation and deaths from malnutrition, including of dozens of children.

Christian Smalls (United States), reported severe physical violence by Israeli forces. Several female activists described similar abuse and deplorable detention conditions, including a lack of ventilation despite extreme heat and the absence of basic sanitary supplies for women. The activists told the tribunal that they remain on an open hunger strike in protest of their unlawful detention.

The activists who appeared before the tribunal today are: Braedon Peluso (United States), Robert Martin (Australia), Tania (Tan) Safi (“Australia”), Justine Kempf (France), Emma Fourreau (France–Sweden), Antonio La Picirella (Italy), Christian Smalls (United States), Chloé Fiona Ludden (United Kingdom–France), Sergio Toribio Sanchez (Spain), Vigdis Bjorvand (Norway), Hatem Aouini (Tunisia), Santiago González Vallejo (Spain), Ange Sahuquet (France), and Dr. Frank Romano (United States–France). Several of the volunteers reported that Israeli authorities applied intense pressure on them yesterday, forcing them to waive their right to meet with a lawyer. This prevented Adalah’s legal team from meeting them at the time; however, the team was able to meet with all volunteers today.

Under Israeli law, the tribunal does not rule on deportation itself but only on continued detention pending deportation. Adalah stressed before the tribunal that the ongoing detention of civilians who were forcibly taken into Israel from international waters while attempting to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid constitutes a flagrant violation of international law. Adalah will continue to pursue their immediate release through all available legal channels.

Update | 28 July 2025, 9:30 AM Jerusalem Time

This morning, Monday, 28 July 2025, hearings are scheduled to take place at the Detention Review Tribunal regarding the continued detention of several of the international activists who were aboard the Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship the ‘Handala’, pending their deportation. The hearings will take place at the Givon Prison in Ramleh.

Israel is handling the custody of the volunteers as though they had entered the country illegally,even though they were forcibly taken from international waters and brought into Israel against their will. The detention hearings at the Givon facility regularly grant Israeli authorities broad discretion to continue holding activists—even without clear legal grounds—until deportation. In June 2025, the tribunal upheld custody orders for eight activists from the earlier flotilla vessel the Madleen, rejecting legal arguments that their detention lacked jurisdiction because they had been apprehended in international waters and in violation of international law.

The activists scheduled to appear before the tribunal today are: Braedon Peluso (United States), Robert Martin (Australia), Tania (Tan) Safi (“Australia”), Justine Kempf (France), Emma Fourreau (France – Sweden), Antonio La Picirella (Italy), Christian Smalls (United States), Chloé Fiona Ludden (United Kingdom – France), Sergio Toribio Sanchez (Spain), Vigdis Bjorvand (Norway), Hatem Aouini (Tunisia) and Santiago González Vallejo (Spain). Most of them remain on an open-ended hunger strike to protest their forced detention.

Adalah stresses that the continued detention of these civilian activists, who were forcibly taken from international waters, constitutes a grave violation of international law. Adalah will demand their immediate release before the tribunal today.

The following activists have already been deported or are expected to be deported in the coming hours:
Antonio Mazzeo (Italy)
Gabriel Cathala (France)
Jacob Berger (United States)
Waad Al Musa (United States – Iraq)
Mohamed El Bakkali (Morocco)

It remains unclear whether Ange Sahuquet (France) and Dr. Frank Romano (United States–France) will be deported immediately or appear before the tribunal. Adalah’s lawyers are scheduled to meet with them shortly.

Update | 27 July 2025, 8 PM Jerusalem time

Adalah’s lawyers have met with 17 of the 21 detained activists, either at Ashdod Port or in an Israeli police station. According to the lawyers, all are in relatively stable condition.

Israel is handling the custody of the volunteers as though they had entered the country illegally—even though they were forcibly taken from international waters and brought into Israel against their will. The authorities presented them with two options: either agree to so-called “voluntary deportation,” or remain in detention and appear before a tribunal, to have their continued detention pending deportation reviewed.

For a full explanation of the legal process and Adalah’s legal position, see Adalah’s Q&A

The following activists have agreed to deportation and are expected to be deported from Israel in the coming hours: Antonio Mazzeo (Italy), Gabrielle Cathala (France), Jacob Berger (United States).

The following activists refused to sign voluntary deportation orders; they remain in Israeli custody and will be brought before an Israeli tribunal to review the legality of their continued detention pending deportation: Braedon Peluso (United States), Robert Martin (Australia), Tania (Tan) Safi (“Australia”), Justine Kempf (France), Emma Fourreau (France – Sweden), Antonio La Picirella (Italy), Christian Smalls (United States), Chloé Fiona Ludden (United Kingdom – France), Sergio Toribio Sanchez (Spain), Vigdis Bjorvand (Norway), Hatem Aouini (Tunisia) and Santiago González Vallejo (Spain).

Huwaida Arraf and Bob Suberi, both dual U.S.–Israeli nationals, were interrogated by Israeli police, released from custody, and are now with Adalah’s legal team.

Adalah did not meet with Ange Sahuquet (France), Dr. Frank Romano (United States–France), or Al Jazeera reporter and cameraman Mohamed El Bakkali (Morocco) and Waad Al Musa (United States–Iraq), who are represented by private attorneys.

Update | 27 July 2025, 3 PM Jerusalem time

Following persistent demands, Adalah’s lawyers are now meeting with 19 of the detained volunteers at Ashdod Port to provide legal consultation. The remaining two activists, Bob Suberi and Huwaida Arraf, both dual Israeli and U.S. citizens, have been transferred to the police, where an Adalah lawyer is also present to provide legal support.

Update | 27 July 2025, 12:30 PM Jerusalem time — Israel denies lawyers’ repeated demands to meet activists at Ashdod port

After 12 hours at sea, following the unlawful interception of the Handala, Israeli authorities confirmed the vessel’s arrival at Ashdod port. Despite repeated demands, Israeli authorities have refused to allow Adalah’s lawyers access to the detained activists to provide legal consultation.

Adalah reiterates that the activists aboard the Handala were part of a peaceful civilian mission to break through Israel’s illegal blockade on Gaza. The vessel was intercepted in international waters and their detention constitutes a clear violation of international law.

Adalah Demans Immediate Release of 21 Activists Aboard the Freedom Flotilla Boat ‘Handala’, Unlawfully Intercepted by Israeli Forces | 27 July 2025

Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel has sent an urgent legal letter to Israeli authorities demanding information on the whereabouts of 21 activists—including journalists and parliamentarians—who were forcibly detained after Israeli naval forces unlawfully seized the Handala, a vessel sailing as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC).

Israeli forces intercepted the Handala in international waters at around midnight (Israel time) on 27 July 2025 and contact with the activists was lost. This peaceful civilian mission was dedicated to the children of Gaza and named after the Palestinian national symbol Handala, created by political cartoonist Naji al-Ali, who represents a barefoot refugee child who turned his back on injustice and vowed not to face the world again until Palestinian refugees are allowed to return to their homeland. This ship, which sailed as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FCC), is part of the coalition’s ongoing efforts to break Israel’s illegal and deadly blockade on the Palestinian people in Gaza, amid the ongoing genocide and deliberate starvation imposed on Gaza’s population. A list of participants, is available here

The flotilla never entered Israeli territorial waters, and nor was it intended to do so; it was headed toward the territorial waters of the State of Palestine, as recognized under international law. Israel has no legal jurisdiction or authority over the international waters in which the vessel was sailing. See videos of the interception here.

Israel’s interception of the Handala and arrest of peaceful, unarmed activists delivering humanitarian aid is in violation of international law. Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza constitutes prohibited collective punishment and flagrantly violates the ICJ’s provisional measures in the genocide case (South Africa v. Israel). Activists have a legitimate right to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza’s starving civilians. The Handala was unarmed, carrying only life-saving aid, food, baby formula and medicine. According to the FFC, it was sailing close to 40 nautical miles from Gaza when intercepted.

Based on past experience, the Israeli navy tows intercepted Freedom Flotilla vessels to Ashdod port and detains the activists, often for many hours without disclosing their whereabouts, legal status, or allowing access to legal counsel.

A total of 21 people were on board the Handala, including two journalists and two parliamentarians, from 10 different countries. Adalah demands the immediate disclosure of the activists’ location and legal status and for them to be allowed access to legal counsel to enable legal representation before Israeli authorities and tribunals. Adalah will take necessary legal action to secure the activists’ safety and release.

Image courtesy of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/gazafreedomflotilla/