What Happened When 500 Activists Sailed Toward Gaza
Al Jazeera English

Activists from Gaza Aid Flotilla
Allege Abuse at the Hands of Israeli Forces

(May 25, 2026) — In the past 24 hours, 11 Australian activists, detained by Israel while on a flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza, started arriving home. Since landing and being reunited with family and friends, several of the protesters have made serious allegations about their treatment by Israeli forces, including physical abuse.

The Israeli government rejects all allegations of physical or other mistreatment of detained members of the flotilla. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs says it is deeply alarmed by allegations of mistreatment but also notes that no Australian passengers requested medical assistance from consular staff in Turkey. Neve O’Connor was one of the 11 Australians on board and she spoke to 7.30’s Sarah Ferguson.

What Happened When 500
Activists Sailed Toward Gaza
Al Jazeera

(May 18, 2026) — What does it look like to sail into a blockade, knowing you’ll likely be intercepted, attacked or imprisoned? Last year, Al Jazeera was on board the Global Sumud Flotilla to find out.

This is the story of the activists on board that flotilla – the sacrifices they made to take the journey, the attacks they endured and the conviction to continue fighting for Palestinian rights. This episode is part of a three-part documentary series, “The Flotillas,” by “The Take” and AJ+.