Major New York Times report on flotilla activists: 'I couldn't bear the screaming'
In an article published by the newspaper, it is claimed that activists who participated in the flotilla to the Gaza Strip suffer from physical and mental injuries following the treatment they received - and the claim of rape was raised again. 'We could hear them screaming, wailing,' Malika Baouya was quoted as saying in the article, and the documentation of Itamar Ben Gvir was also highlighted. In Israel, they denied the claims and said that the detainees were treated in accordance with the law.
In an investigative report published on Friday in The New York Times, activists who participated in the flotilla that attempted to reach the Gaza Strip in May claimed that their detention by Israel left them with physical and mental trauma. Claims of harsh treatment in detention facilities are not new, and Israel has denied them in the past, clarifying that the detainees were treated in accordance with the law. However, the article claims that even after their release and deportation, many of the flotilla activists continue to deal with the mental consequences of the events.
The New York Times wrote that the investigation is based on interviews with 24 activists and medical documents from Australia, France, Italy, and Turkey. According to the authors, 22 activists claimed they experienced various types of physical assault. In addition, seven interviewees claimed they were hospitalized after their release. According to the investigation, all activists provided "consistent descriptions of a pattern of abuse, first on board the IDF vessels and then on Israeli soil."
Arnaud Main (34) from Belgium, captain of one of the ships, was quoted regarding his arrest: "They started kicking me immediately. It was dark. They stopped for a moment, and then started again." After his ship was intercepted, he was transferred to an Israeli vessel and thrown into a dark container. "We could hear them screaming, wailing," said Malika Baouya (48), a nurse residing in France. "I couldn't bear it anymore, I tried to cover my ears." According to her hospital report, she suffered from a fractured vertebra and was ordered to wear a neck brace for eight weeks.
The investigation also claimed that some detainees were sexually assaulted. A Palestinian who did not identify himself claimed he was raped with a stick, and Juliet Lamont (55), an Australian activist and filmmaker, claimed she was sexually assaulted inside a container. According to Lamont, five men beat her, pulled out some of her hair, and punched her in the ribs and face, after which she felt something inserted into her vagina. "It was big enough to be a hand," Lamont said. "It didn't feel metallic enough to be a gun."
Eight days later, she underwent a rape test in Australia. The local support service for sexual assault victims in New South Wales noted it provided her with "urgent care." A separate medical report from an Australian hospital noted a minor fracture in one of Lamont's vertebrae, which she attributed to a kick to her back. Majid Bagciwan, a public organization worker from Turkey, claimed he was shot in his right thigh at point-blank range. A medical report reviewed by The New York Times confirmed the injury was caused by a firearm.
The "Global Sumud Flotilla" left Turkey in May with the goal of bringing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. After being detained by the IDF Navy, the activists were held for about three days on ships and later at the port of Ashdod. The article noted that Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir insisted on walking among them, after which the activists were deported to Turkey and Greece.
