AhlulBayt News Agency: People have staged demonstrations in Italy and Spain in protest against Israel’s interception of Global Sumud Flotilla boats that were carrying humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip.
The protests were held on Saturday, after Israel seized 22 out of the 58 aid boats in international waters off Greece’s Peloponnese Peninsula late Wednesday.
According to the flotilla’s organizers, cited by Al Jazeera, Israel also “kidnapped” 211 of the 400 activists taking part in the humanitarian mission. Nearly all the detainees were released later except two. Saif Abu Keshek, a Palestinian activist holding Spanish citizenship, and Brazilian activist Thiago de Avila were taken to Israel for questioning, according to Anadolu Agency.
In Rome, demonstrators gathered outside the Italian Foreign Ministry in a show of solidarity with the flotilla activists who tried to break Israel’s siege of Gaza, which was imposed more than a year ago and has remained in place despite a ceasefire that took effect in early October last year.
The demonstration in Spain was held in the northeastern city of Barcelona, where protesters gathered outside the headquarters of the European Commission, carrying banners with signs reading “Stop Israel, Stop Terrorism.”
Waiving Palestinian flags, the protesters also called on the European Union to end what they described as complicity with Israel.
The demonstrators urged the immediate release of the detained activists, Abu Keshek and Avila, amid reports of their mistreatment by Israel.
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