• Israeli court extends detention of Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Ávila until May 10.
• The UN and multiple nations demand the immediate release of the activists.
• Activists allege being mistreated and are currently on a hunger strike.

An Israeli court has extended the detention of two activists, Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian national Thiago Ávila, who were arrested from a Gaza-bound flotilla last week. This extension permits Israeli police an additional six days to question them, with the court ruling based on allegations including affiliation with terrorist organizations and illegal activities, although no formal charges have been filed against them, according to BBC and Channel News Asia.

The activists were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, aiming to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, which was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off Greece. While most of the other activists were released on the Greek island of Crete, Abu Keshek and Ávila were detained in Israel, leading to significant diplomatic tensions with Spain and Brazil, as both countries demand their release, according to Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.

The United Nations has also called for their immediate and unconditional release, citing allegations of mistreatment while in Israeli custody. The assertion highlights the "disturbing accounts of severe mistreatment" which must be investigated, as emphasized by UN rights office spokesperson Thameen al-Kheetan. Human rights groups, including Adalah, have stated that the conditions of their detention could be classified as torture, leading to ongoing hunger strikes by both activists, according to BBC, Channel News Asia, and Al Jazeera.

The Israeli government has dismissed the allegations of torture and abuse as false, asserting that the activists were involved with groups considered linked to terrorism, specifically citing the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad as a suspected front for Hamas. Criticism from international leaders continues, with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva labeling the detention as "unjustifiable" and asserting it goes against international law, per statements provided by Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.

This incident is part of ongoing tensions regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which remains critical despite earlier ceasefires. The UN has urged for improved conditions to ensure aid reaches those in need and called for an end to arbitrary detentions that infringe on human rights, underlining the urgency of this humanitarian crisis, according to BBC and Al Jazeera.