'Two professional provocateurs' from Gaza flotilla 'deported' from Israel

Israel has "deported" two men who arrived in the country after authorities intercepted a Gaza-bound flotilla.

Saif Abu Keshek, who lives in Barcelona, and Thiago Ávila, from Brazil, were described as "professional provocateurs" in a statement by the Israeli foreign ministry.

Their release followed a demand from Spain's foreign ministry, who said the two men were being "held illegally".

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "After their investigation was completed, the two professional provocateurs, Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Ávila, from the provocation flotilla, were deported today from Israel.

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"Israel will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza."

The two men appeared in court last week after Israeli authorities intercepted at least 22 vessels belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla off the coast of Greece.

They were held under suspicion for a number of offences that included aiding the enemy and contact with a terrorist group.

This is the second Global Sumud Flotilla, with the first in October 2025 including Greta Thunberg among its participants.

Israel later said it removed 175 activists from the flotilla.

Global Sumud Flotilla's tracker says there are currently 57 vessels still headed to Gaza.

The group set off from Spain on April 12 in an attempt to break Israel's blockade of Gaza and deliver aid.

Human rights group Adalah, which has assisted in their legal defence, said their detention was unlawful.

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The human rights group has said the two men will be handed over to immigration authorities' custody until their deportation.

It said: "Adalah is closely monitoring developments to make sure that the release from detention goes ⁠ahead, followed by their deportation from Israel in the coming days."

After the men were arrested, Spain and Brazil, in a joint statement, said: "This flagrantly illegal action by the Israeli authorities outside their jurisdiction constitutes a violation of international law, which could be brought before international courts, and may constitute a crime under our respective national laws."

And Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain, later said he had "several things" to say to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He said: "The first is that Spain will always protect its citizens. The second is that we will always defend international law, and this is a new violation of international law.

"And the third is that we want the release of the Spanish citizen who has been illegally kidnapped by the Netanyahu government."

Israel previously said the "driving force behind the flotilla provocation is Hamas" and accused the activists of "joining hands" with the terror organisation.

And the US Government condemned the flotilla, which it described as a " a pro-Hamas initiative and a baseless, counterproductive effort to undermine President Trump’s Peace Plan".

A spokesman for the US Government added: "Unlike organized assistance mechanisms coordinated with regional partners, this flotilla circumvents mechanisms designed to ensure humanitarian assistance is received by civilians.

"The United States will explore using available tools to impose consequences on those who provide support to this pro-Hamas flotilla and supports our allies’ legal actions against it.

"The flotilla has nothing to do with humanitarian aid or the welfare of Gazans."

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