Return and Testimonies at Ezeiza Airport
Argentine members of the Global Sumud Flotilla were greeted by family and friends at Ezeiza International Airport, after they were detained by Israeli military forces while en route to the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid.
Footage filmed on Monday shows activists Celeste Fierro, Raul Laguna Bosch, and Cristina Agüero arriving at the airport, where Pablo Giachiello, another member of the flotilla, had been waiting to greet them despite having arrived in the country the previous day.
Upon their arrival, the activists reported that they had been subjected to ‘torture’, had their belongings stolen, and were mistreated during their detention.
Allegations of Abuse During Detention
“More than 30 comrades have suffered injuries and had to go to hospitals. The rest, beatings, most of us. This shows the impunity with which they operate,” declared Celeste Fierro, who is also a deputy.
“They left us exposed to the sun, deprived us of water, deprived us of information, and stole everything from us. They didn’t tell us where we were going; we didn’t know where we were,” expressed Raul Laguna.
The members of the flotilla also called for continued mobilisation and warned that thousands of Palestinian citizens remain imprisoned in Israeli jails.
“We have to achieve freedom because what we went through is nothing compared to what Palestinians go through daily. And there are still 9,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons, of which 400 are children under 12 years old,” assured Cristina Aguero.
Ongoing Detentions and Future Statements
Meanwhile, the activists have announced that they will provide more details about their experiences abroad and the circumstances in which they were detained in the coming days.
On April 29, Israeli forces intercepted at least 22 ships in international waters off the Greek island of Crete, more than 600 miles away from Gaza.
Of the approximately 175 people detained, most were disembarked in Crete under the custody of Greek police. However, the Hispanic-Palestinian Saif Abu Keshek and the Brazilian Thiago Avila were transferred to Israeli territory and are in the Shikma detention centre in Ashkelon, awaiting judicial resolution.
