Israel deports 2 activists detained for leading an aid flotilla to Gaza

Israel deported two activists on Sunday after being detained for slightly over a week for leading an aid flotilla attempting to break the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.

TEL AVIV — Israel deported two activists on Sunday after being detained for slightly over a week for leading an aid flotilla attempting to break the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.

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The two, Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian origin Saif Abukeshek and Brazilian citizen Thiago Ávila, were among dozens of activists intercepted by the Israeli navy in international waters off the coast of Crete, hundreds of miles from Israel.

Both are members of the Global Sumud Flotilla’s steering committee, whose mission is to break Israel’s naval blockade and bring some humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory.