Ketziot’s maximum security prison, in the Neguev desert, next to Israel’s border with Egypt, about 180 kilometers south of Tel Aviv, rises in a desolate place; A yerma land far from almost everything in Israel, in which clouds of sand rise at every step. The walls of that sinister memory prison for the Palestinians hide several barracks, which are barely glimpsed from a gas station to just under two kilometers. Ketziot was the main detention center of those who were arrested during the first intifada, the uprising of the Palestinians against the Israeli occupation that began in December 1987 in Gaza.
In that penalty they face their second night in prison those who arrived at the Israeli port of Ashdod on Thursday after the approach of their ships on the eve by the Israeli Navy. Hours after it was confirmed that the detainees are already appearing before a court within that maximum security prison, the Center for the Defense of the Rights of the Arab minority (Adalah), disclosed a statement in which he denounced ill -treatment “aggressions, threats and harassment”, as some of the flotilla participants have described the lawyers of this organization, which has assumed their legal defense.
Among the abuses cited by the NGO – which has met with 331 members of the flotilla – one stands out. In 24 hours after its transfer to the Israeli port of Ashdod, “participants [en la flotilla] They were forced to kneel with their hands tied for at least five hours, after some sing Free Palestine“The water, medications or access to the bathroom have also been denied, and applied sensory deprivation techniques such as” violently awakening when they tried to sleep, “the organization denounces.
Adalah describes a process that tells “illegal from beginning to end”, since the rights of the detainees “have been systematically violated.” First for the “kidnapping in international waters” of the ships, whose occupants intended to deliver humanitarian aid in Gaza, and their subsequent “forced trailer” to the Israeli port.
Then, because some of the detainees have appeared before an emigration court, within the maximum security prison where they are held, without the legal assistance of a lawyer, something that violates Israeli legislation itself.
This Friday morning, and while he was heading to the Ketziot prison, Suhad Bishara, the director of Adalah, explained by phone to this newspaper that 470 flotilla activists were already imprisoned there, including some 65 Spaniards, according to the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Only six activists then continued in the port of Ashdod. They are the ones who were traveling in the Marinettethe last ship of the flotilla to be assaulted by Israeli military, this Friday.
The arrested of the flotilla, are appearing before a immigration court created especially for them, then confirmed the director of Adalah, an advanced information days ago by channel 12 of Israeli television. That proceeding – presenting people arrested before a court created ad hoc y Located inside a jail – Bishara stressed, it is also “anomalous.”
If the usual procedure is followed, after appearing before the judge, activists will be offered to sign an immediate deportation order. This document allows them to avoid the trial, but implies accepting that they have tried to enter Israel illegally – the ships tried to reach the waters of Gaza, a occupied Palestinian territory, and not of Israel – and accept the prohibition of entering the country, usually for 10 years. This is what four from, the previous solidarity flotilla to Gaza, intercepted by Israel in June.
Those who reject it will continue in prison and will be subsequently tried. Participants in previous flotillas and, therefore, with the entry already vetoed to Israel – like the French MEP Rima Hassan or Swedish activist Greta Thunberg – will not have the option of signing the immediate deportation and, for that reason, their arrest could be more days.
While the activists begin to parade before the court, another group of nine ships, baptized as (thousand Madleens towards Gaza) advances towards the waters of the Palestinian strip. This Friday morning, they sailed at the height of Crete, T of Catania and another. The Organization of the Global Sumud flotilla has announced in turn that it is already preparing a new expedition towards the Palestinian enclave that could sail in November.
Consular assistance
A long row of cars with diplomatic registration appeared this Friday parked on the banks of the dusty road that leads to Ketziot prison. In the access control, men with white long -sleeved shirts waited to enter, some after leaving one of those cars, hurrying the tie.
From the early morning, numerous consuls of countries with citizens in the flotilla were in that prison that has also served as an irregular immigrants detention center. Among them, the Spanish consul in Tel Aviv. According to sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this diplomat “has had access to the center where the members of the Flotilla are and has been able to be in contact” with the Spanish detainees, reports Miguel González. The consul, the sources continue, “will continue to go until they have been able to visit all the Spanish and Spanish and all free and back to Spain.” The Spanish consular mission has reported that the Spaniards who have been able to attend throughout the day “are well”, and the Israeli authorities have assured them that the rest too.
The prison where until then will remain held, Ketziot, has regained prominence since October 7, 2023, the day of Hamas attacks in which some 1,200 people died and 251 were kidnapped. Israel responded by unleashing an invasion – a “genocide”, according to an UN commission – that already has more than 66,000 dead.
For example, the report, of the Israeli NGO B zelem, where serious human rights violations, overcrowding and material deprivation of those accused of belonging to Hamas in Ketziot are described.
In Adalah’s statement this Friday, it is ensured that the situation of the activists “and other passengers of the flotilla, including several journalists, one of them of this newspaper – in that prison is, despite everything,” relatively stable. ” This organization has committed to its text to monitor its evolution from “very close.”
At the moment, the only members of the flotilla who have recovered freedom are the four Italian parliamentarians traveling in it, the Foreign Ministry of Italy, a country that remains one of Israel’s Adalides in the European Union has reported. These released have returned this Friday to Rome.
The rest of the arrested – including other Italians – are still in jail. Activists, other political positions, or journalists will be “treated equally,” the director of Adalah confirmed Friday. On Thursday, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani explained that Israel wants to deport them all on Chárter flights to Madrid and London on Monday or Tuesday.
