Brazilian activist arrested by Israel refuses deportation and strikes hunger

Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila, a member of Flotilha da Liberdade, is on hunger strike at an Israeli detention center after being arrested during a humanitarian mission to the Gaza Strip. Ávila refuses to be deported, demanding that her illegal detention – made in international waters – be recognized as a violation of international law.

The “Madleen” sailboat, in which he traveled with other activists, carried supplies to the population of Gaza, plagued by hunger and malnutrition amid the prolonged blockade imposed by Israel. The Brazilian government repudiated the interception of the vessel and demanded the immediate release of the activist.

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According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Brazilian Embassy in Tel Aviv directly follows the case. After the arrest, Ávila had a hearing with a judge of the detention court and, even in the face of the possibility of repatriation, chose to remain in prison to denounce the Israeli action. His wife, Lara Souza, was received in Brasilia by diplomatic authorities, accompanied by parliamentarians.

Itamaraty stressed that Flotilha interception is a serious transgression of international standards and criticized the severe restrictions imposed on food entry and basic help in the Gaza Strip. The Brazilian government requires Israel to preserve the physical integrity and health of Thiago Ávila while in custody.

Avila’s situation expands diplomatic pressure on Israel and reheats the global debate on the humanitarian siege imposed on Palestinians. The radical gesture of the Brazilian, giving up his own food in the name of the Palestinian cause, sheds light on the human cost of one of the most complex and persistent conflicts of the international scene.

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with agencies