Istanbul (HRNW): Members of the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla who arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, have revealed harrowing accounts of brutal Israeli violence, including sexual assault, broken bones, rubber bullet injuries, and forced injections of unknown substances.
Most activists arrived in extremely poor physical condition. Several were unable to walk and were transported in wheelchairs, while many others were rushed to hospitals for urgent medical treatment.
Australian filmmaker and Flotilla activist Juliet Lamont disclosed that multiple members suffered broken ribs, women were subjected to sexual misconduct, and detainees were injected with unidentified drugs.
Italian journalist Alessandro Mantovani described the Israeli detention facility as a place of fear and terror, stating that activists were subjected to violence immediately upon arrest and were provided with severely limited food and water throughout their detention.
Flotilla organizers confirmed that 15 members faced sexual assault and misconduct, several activists were shot with rubber bullets, and multiple members sustained broken bones during Israeli custody.
The revelations have sparked widespread international outrage as humanitarian workers and journalists who attempted to reach Gaza return with disturbing testimonies of their treatment at the hands of Israeli forces.
