Israel will release two foreign activists taken off a Gaza-bound flotilla from detention before handing them to immigration authorities ahead of their deportation, the rights group representing them said.
Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national of Palestinian origin, and Brazilian Thiago Avila were among dozens of activists aboard a flotilla that was intercepted by the Israeli navy in international waters off the coast of Greece on April 30.
The pair were seized by Israeli forces and brought to Israel for questioning, while the others were taken to the Greek island of Crete and released.
“Today, the Shabak Israeli intelligence agency informed Adalah’s legal team that Global Sumud Flotilla activists and leaders Thiago Avila and Saif Abukeshek would be released from Israeli detention today, ” the rights group Adalah said in a statement.
“They will be handed to Israel’s immigration authorities later today and kept in custody pending their deportation,” it added.
Adalah said it was closely monitoring developments “to make sure that the release from detention goes ahead, followed by their deportation from Israel in the coming days”.
On Tuesday, an Israeli court extended the pair’s detention until Sunday to allow police more time to interrogate them, according to their lawyers.
The lawyers then filed an appeal against their continued detention, but it was rejected by a district court on Wednesday.
Spain, Brazil and the United Nations had all called for their swift release.
