JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African activists who were detained when their boats were intercepted while trying to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza have alleged they were beaten and tortured by Israeli soldiers.
The Global Sumud Flotilla of 50 boats was intercepted in international waters some 250 miles (400 kilometers) off the coast of Israel as they sought to breach the blockade and deliver aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
According to the activists, who were welcomed by pro-Palestine supporters and their families as they arrived in South Africa from Turkey on Saturday morning, some of them were even electrocuted while being interrogated about their participation in the flotilla.
They said many of them receiving even more harsh treatment when the soldiers learned that they were from South Africa, a country that has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice and accused it of committing genocide in Gaza.
“We were denied access to water for a while. Food they did give us, food that was not suitable for human consumption. We were denied access to toilets for many hours, and the minute we started protesting we were shot at with rubber bullets,” said activist Faizel Moosa.
Moosa, a former anti-apartheid activist during South Africa's liberation struggle against white minority rule, said the treatment they received under detention was the worst he had ever experienced.
“Having experienced detention under the apartheid regime during the struggle, this was far worse. It just goes to show that this is what Palestinians go through on a daily basis,” said Moosa.
According to the activists, they were held for several days at the K'tziot prison, where some of them were electrocuted.
Activist Qutb Hendricks called on the South African government to pile pressure on Israel by banning the sale of coal and other supplies to the country.
The Israeli government has denied allegations of mistreatment of those detained, saying they were “false and entirely without factual basis.”
