People carrying Palestinian flags and banners, gather to protest the detention of Global Sumud Flotilla activists Thiago de Avila and Saif Abu Keshek, who were seized in international waters on the night of April 29-30 by the Israeli Navy and are currently being held in Israel, on May 4, 2026 in Milan, Italy. [Andrea Carrubba - Anadolu Agency]

People carrying Palestinian flags and banners, gather to protest the detention of Global Sumud Flotilla activists Thiago de Avila and Saif Abu Keshek, who were seized in international waters on the night of April 29-30 by the Israeli Navy and are currently being held in Israel, on May 4, 2026 in Milan, Italy. [Andrea Carrubba – Anadolu Agency]

The public prosecutor’s office in Rome has opened an investigation into the alleged abduction of individuals by Israeli forces after they intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a Gaza-bound aid convoy, in international waters on Thursday, Italian media reports.

According to the reports, three legal complaints have been filed against Israeli forces over the alleged abduction of two activists — Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian national Thiago Avila — who are currently being held in Israel. Both were on board a vessel flying the Italian flag at the time of their detention in international waters.

An Israeli court has ordered that the activists’ detention be extended for an additional two days.

The Rome prosecutor’s office had previously opened a similar investigation in October following an earlier attempt by a humanitarian flotilla to reach Gaza.

On Thursday, around 175 activists of various nationalities were detained while on board nearly 20 vessels in the flotilla, which organisers say aimed to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip, where the entry of humanitarian aid remains severely restricted.

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