Activists who took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza shared accounts of detention, mistreatment and their calls for stronger Canadian action to protect human rights during a panel discussion in Ottawa on Wednesday.
The event, organized by the Ottawa chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement, featured five Canadian flotilla participants. They were among hundreds of activists involved in a maritime mission aimed at challenging Israel’s siege of Gaza.
Earlier in the day, the five activists had met with senators and MPs to discuss their experiences and advocate for more concerted government action.
Twelve Canadians were identified among the more than 400 flotilla participants in 41 boats that were intercepted by Israeli security forces last month as they attempted to deliver aid to Gaza.
The panel discussion took place amid growing international scrutiny of Israel’s actions after a video of the country’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir taunting the flotilla participants circulated online.
Prime Minister Mark Carney subsequently described Israel’s treatment of the activists as “appalling” and called for an independent investigation into allegations of abuse. Ottawa also summoned Israel’s ambassador following reports from activists who said they were abused while in custody.
Carney “reiterated that the appalling treatment of civilians, including Canadian citizens, aboard the Gaza-bound flotilla was unacceptable,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Speaking to a packed audience at the Next Door Ottawa event space on Gladstone Avenue, Canadian activist Ehab Lotayef said the mission was intended to deliver humanitarian aid, draw media attention to conditions in Gaza and pressure governments to act.
“We do what we can,” he said. “Our trajectory on the map is Gaza, but our real trajectory is the conscience of humanity.”
Others described the flotilla as a response to government inaction.
“We saw that Gaza is under siege and blocked from everywhere,” said Montreal-based decolonial activist Safa Chebbi. “The only way to go is from the sea.”
Several panelists recounted being intercepted by Israeli forces while sailing in international waters and described the degrading conditions they experienced during detention. Chebbi said Israeli authorities forcefully removed her hijab while she was in custody — an experience she described as deeply violating.
‘We do what we can. Our trajectory on the map is Gaza, but our real trajectory is the conscience of humanity.’
— Montreal activist Ehab Lotayef, participant in the Global Sumud Flotilla
Luiza Ravalli, a Toronto-area primary care nurse aboard one of the vessels, said Israeli soldiers boarded her boat at gunpoint near Greece, damaged communications equipment and left the crew stranded after redirecting the vessel toward an approaching storm. She said another humanitarian ship sailing with the flotilla was eventually able to locate the crew.
The activists described being transferred to what they called a “prison ship” before being taken to detention facilities in Israel.
Chebbi said one of the moments that stayed with her most was seeing messages on the prison ship’s walls written by Palestinian prisoners.
“You see every story on the walls,” she told the audience, describing notes left by prisoners marking the time spent in detention and messages written to family members they had not seen for years.
Another participant, Shahid Mahmood, a software engineer from Belleville, Ont. called on the Canadian government to take stronger action, including halting all military exports to Israel and increasing diplomatic pressure.
“Canada is a signatory to human rights conventions,” Mahmood said. “There are sanctions, there is diplomatic pressure, there is political leverage that Canada has.”
Mahmood displayed a sweatsuit he said detainees were ordered to wear after being intercepted during the flotilla mission. He also showed audience members marks on his wrists that he said were caused by tightly fastened zip ties while in detention.
Despite describing difficult experiences, the activists said they remain committed to future missions.
“The people of Gaza and Palestine have not given up hope. We have no right to give up hope,” said Ravalli. “And I will sail again.”
