• Israeli court extends detention of activists Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila until May 10.
• The activists were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla aimed at delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.
• Both activists have been on hunger strike for over a week amid allegations of torture.
• Spain and Brazil demand the immediate release of their citizens, citing illegal detention.
• Israeli authorities argue the detentions comply with international law, despite widespread criticism.

An Israeli court has extended the detention of two activists, Saif Abu Keshek from Spain and Thiago Avila from Brazil, who were captured during a Gaza-bound flotilla intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters. The Ashkelon Magistrates’ Court granted an additional six-day extension on May 5, allowing police to continue questioning the activists until May 10, according to Al Jazeera and BBC.

Initially detained alongside approximately 175 other activists, Abu Keshek and Avila were among those separated from the group and taken to Israel for questioning. The Global Sumud Flotilla, which began its journey on April 12 from Barcelona, aimed to break the blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian aid, reports Channel News Asia. Neither activist has been formally charged; however, Israeli authorities claim they are suspects in various offenses related to terrorism.

Lawyers from the rights group Adalah, representing the detained activists, have characterized the extension of their detention as “judicial validation of the state’s lawlessness” and plan to appeal. They assert the allegations against Abu Keshek and Avila lack legal foundation, as the activists were arrested about a thousand kilometers from Gaza and are not Israeli citizens, according to Al Jazeera and BBC.

Both activists have been on hunger strike since their detention, with conditions described as severe. Reports indicate they are held in isolation under intense lighting and have been subjected to mistreatment. In a statement, lawyers have urged for both men’s immediate and unconditional release, stating, “The allegations are baseless” and claiming they have faced torture during custody, as reported by Channel News Asia.

International responses have been critical, with both the governments of Spain and Brazil formally demanding the release of their nationals. Spain's foreign minister declared the detention illegal, while Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned the Israeli government for the “unjustifiable” action. He noted, “The detention of the flotilla activists in international waters had already represented a serious affront to international law,” according to BBC and Channel News Asia.

Israel maintains that its actions conform to international law and that the flotilla represented a provocation connected to militant group Hamas. The Israeli foreign ministry stated that the activists’ activities threaten security and that their detention was necessary, dismissing the allegations of torture as “false and baseless,” reports Channel News Asia and BBC.