Israel Condemned as Sumud Flotilla Organizers Report 'Harsh Treatment' in Detention

US Congressman Ro Khanna on Sunday demanded the Israeli government's release of David Adler, a US citizen who was one of the organizers intercepted by Israeli forces last week after they came close to breaking the country's blockade on Gaza with the Global Sumud Flotilla.

As Marco Sermoneta, Israel's consul general to the Pacific Northwest in the US, dismissed reports that humanitarians who were aboard the flotilla's 50 boats are being deprived of food and water and mistreated in an Israeli detention center, Khanna (D-Calif.) called on the diplomat to confirm that Adler, a California resident, is a safe.

"I am most concerned about David Adler, a Californian and Jewish American, who is in the Ketziot prison," said Khanna. "I spoke to his sister last night and their family is deeply anxious. Can you assure us he will be released and sent home safely?"

Khanna said Saturday that Adler's family has not had contact with him since October 1, the day before a majority of the flotilla's boats were stopped from reaching Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid.

The congressman said he plans to lead a delegation letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Leiter on Monday and expressed hope that "every colleague, particularly every California member, will sign."

"Our government must stand up for an American citizen's fair treatment and release," said Khanna.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Saturday that 137 of the rights advocates who were aboard the flotilla had been deported to Turkey; they were from the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States.

More than 400 humanitarians, lawmakers, and lawyers were aboard the vessels, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who told Swedish officials Saturday that she has been "subjected to harsh treatment in Israeli custody" in recent days.

The Guardian obtained correspondence from Sweden's Foreign Ministry that described Israeli authorities taking photos of the climate campaigner "holding flags," the identity of which was not reported.

“The embassy has been able to meet with Greta,” reads an email sent by the Foreign Ministry to people close to Thunberg and viewed by The Guardian. “She informed of dehydration. She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food. She also stated that she had developed rashes which she suspects were caused by bedbugs. She spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces.”

Turkish activist Ersin Çelik, who also participated in the Sumud flotilla, told Anadolu that Israeli authorities "dragged little Greta by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others."

Another humanitarian told reporters that the Sumud flotilla campaigners had been "woken up at 3 in the morning with dogs and snipers walking into our rooms" and prevented from having medicine.

"If Netanyahu's government is treating Greta Thunberg this way, imagine how they are treating women and children in Gaza," said Khanna on Sunday.

Talks on a peace plan between Israel and Hamas, proposed last week by US President Donald Trump, are scheduled to begin Monday in Egypt. Hamas has said it is willing to release the remaining hostages the group has been holding captive in Gaza since October 7, 2023 in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinians detained by Israel.

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people across Europe marched in solidarity with the flotilla members and with Gaza, where more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel—with the backing of the US and a number of European governments—since October 2023.

Organizers in Rome said 1 million people turned out for the demonstration that was planned after Israel's interception of the flotilla; police said 250,000 people marched. Spanish campaigners said hundreds of thousands of people rallied in every major city in the country, while smaller protests were reported in cities including Paris, Lisbon, Athens, and London.

Families attended a rally in Barcelona—whose former mayor, Ada Colau, was among the participants in the flotilla—and held signs with messages including, "Stop the Genocide,” and “Hands off the flotilla.”

On Sunday, protests in support of the flotilla and Gaza continued in countries including South Africa and Amsterdam.

Aaron Bastani of Novara Media said it was likely not "a coincidence that David Adler remains in prison, has not been in contact with his family, and has reputedly suffered significant ill treatment."

"The biggest problem for [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and the Israeli right, long term," said Bastani, "is anti-Zionist Jewish Americans."