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Airport arrivals are often places for weepy reunions, but it was an especially emotional touchdown this Monday May 4 for Salim Malla Gutiérrez, a university professor from the city of Vitoria in Spain’s Basque Country and one of the members of the Global Sumud Flotilla who had been taken captive by Israeli forces at sea last week.

 

On Thursday April 30, a civilian fleet of 65 vessels – 39 of which had set sail from Barcelona on April 15 with crew members from Spain and around the world – was attacked by the Israeli military in international waters near the Greek island of Crete.

 

The attack included the sabotage of the boats’ engines and communication systems, leaving several vessels adrift with their crews on board in the face of an impending storm, unable to call for emergency assistance.

 

The fleet of boats, part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, was trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and also end the Israeli blockade by sea to Gaza, “creating a civilian-operated maritime route to Gaza to ensure unimpeded access to food, medicine and essential supplies, and asserting the Palestinian people’s sovereignty over their own waters.”

 

Arriving at Bilbao Airport, Salim Malla opened up about the treatment of the captive activists during their detention: “They did whatever they wanted with us.”

 

From the very first moment their boats were boarded, he knew they were in a dangerous situation.

 

“We could see the laser pointers on our heads; they had us kneeling with our hands on our heads; they sorted us into groups and crammed us into an enclosure with containers.”

 

The detained activists were taken to what he described as a “floating concentration camp”, where they remained for almost two days suffering “physical and psychological abuse”.

 

He also added that they were held at gunpoint, assigned numbers, isolated, and deprived of sleep, water and food.

 

All this took place over a 48-hour period during which, he explained, they were not informed of their destination. In fact, he said that they feared they were going to be transferred to Israeli prisons.

 

He emphasised that the assaults they suffered were “random” and, in his case, he was held in isolation until he was rescued by the Greek coastguard.

 

Malla went on to explain that a total of 22 vessels from the flotilla – carrying 180 people – had been destroyed and were “adrift” following the Israeli action. A remaining 33 vessels were still reportedly in Crete, waiting for the storm to pass and for the Greek government to grant them permission to leave.

 

“Six more ships intend to join them and another 16 to continue from Turkey,” he stated.

 

The interception, he claimed, took place 60 miles from Crete with the “collaboration” of the Greek government and the “inaction” of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).

 

Salim has also been critical of the lack of firm action by the Spanish government in securing his repatriation, alleging that “they have done nothing”.

 

“Only the Turkish government arranged a flight for us; they gave us medical and psychological examinations and helped us draft a statement with lawyers to file a complaint with the International Criminal Court for human rights violations,” he said.

 

A total of 30 members of the Global Sumud Flotilla are reported to have been hospitalised. Six were admitted for various injuries and dislocations, and one young man for six broken ribs.

 

Salim, who rejected the label of ‘activist’, was one of the ones lucky enough to get home to Spain safe and sound, and underscored in his statements to the press that there are still two flotilla members being held captive by Israel – one of whom is a Spanish national – and who, in his view, “are in serious danger” and need to be brought home now.

 

Meanwhile, the fight to bring humane conditions and justice to Palestinians in Gaza continues. A press release by Salim’s team states, “The vessels that managed to evade interception have joined new support ships from Turkey and Italy, and are rebuilding the flotilla to continue their mission of breaking the blockade of Gaza.

 

“We call upon the European Union is called upon to guarantee the safe passage of this civilian humanitarian aid and to cease its complicity in the attacks in international waters.”

 

Image 1: Alparslan Aydın

Image 2: Salim Malla