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<h1 class="title">Concerns over Freedom Flotilla activists
'beaten, dragged'</h1>
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<div class="stamp">July 31, 2018 - <font size="-2"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=780555">http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=780555</a></font><br>
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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Gaza's National Committee for Breaking the
Siege expressed its concern for the safety of international
solidarity activists who were aboard the Al Awda Freedom
Flotilla ship when it was <a
href="http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=780540"
target="_blank">attacked</a> by Israel in international
waters.<br>
<br>
<div>The Freedom Flotilla members were <a
href="http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=780552"
target="_blank">detained</a> by Israeli naval forces on
Sunday and are still being held in the Israeli Givon prison in
al-Ramla in central Israel.<br>
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<div>The National Committee confirmed that Dr. Swee Chai Ang, a
British activist, author, and orthopedic surgeon, suffered
injuries due to being assaulted on board by masked Israeli
naval forces.<br>
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<div>Sources also confirmed that several activists were beaten
by Israeli forces before being dragged out of the ship to be
detained.<br>
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<div>Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC), Zaher Birawi, said that this information contradicts
Israel's statements and claims that the detention of the
activists was peaceful and that no one was harmed.<br>
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<div>Birawi holds Israel fully responsible for the safety of the
activists, pointing out that Israel must provide them with
medical care and demanded Israel to <span style="font-size:
14.6667px;">immediately </span><span style="font-size:
11pt;">release them.<br>
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<div>He stressed that Israel will be prosecuted for the "crime
of kidnapping" the Freedom Flotilla ship and its activists,
who did not impose a threat to Israel's security.<br>
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<div>Birawi requested Israel to also return media equipment
belonging to journalists who were aboard the ship.</div>
<div>On Monday, Israeli authorities released two Israeli
activists on bail, who were identified as Jonathan Shapira and
Zuhr Chamberlain Regev, while the remaining 20 international
activists were not given the option of release upon bail.<br>
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<div>Regev said in a statement that "people on board were
tasered and hit by masked Israeli soldiers. We did not get our
passports or belongings before we got off the boat. Do not
believe reports of peaceful interception."</div>
<div>Israel charged both, Regev and Shapira, with attempting to
enter Gaza and conspiracy before being released on bail.<br>
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<div>In 2010, one of the Freedom Flotilla ships was attacked by
Israeli naval forces in international waters. The ship, which
was carrying aid to Gaza, was attacked while being unarmed,
killing 10 pro-Palestinian activists and injuring dozens of
other peaceful activists.<br>
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<div>The Freedom Flotilla ship peacefully sailed towards the
shores of Gaza, with aim to draw the world's attention to the
unjust siege and intending on breaking Israel's nearly 12-year
blockade of the Gaza Strip.</div>
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<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415 863.9977
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://freedomarchives.org/">https://freedomarchives.org/</a>
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