Six South African activists on Gaza flotilla return home after detention in Israel

Six South African activists who were detained by Israel while attempting to reach Gaza as part of an aid flotilla said Wednesday they were subjected to harsher treatment than other detainees because of South Africa's role in a genocide case against Israel.

Speaking after their return to South Africa, the activists said they were singled out after Israeli guards noticed that they were from South Africa.

Since 2023, South Africa has been involved in a highly contentious case in the United Nations' top court accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.

Mandla Mandela, a former lawmaker the grandson of South Africa’s anti-apartheid icon and first Black president, said the South African activists on the flotilla were “harshly dealt with” because their country has confronted Israel over its actions in Gaza by launching the case at the International Court of Justice.

Their treatment was “because we are a nation that dared through our government to take apartheid Israel to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court and hold them accountable,” Mandla Mandela said.

South African activists Fatima Hendricks and Zaheera Soomar told reporters at Johannesburg's OR Tambo airport on their return that their hijabs were forcibly removed from their heads while they were detained by Israel, which didn't happen to other Muslim female activists.

“Both of us were forced behind a screen, our heads pushed against the wall and completely stripped naked in front of Israeli soldiers. This did not happen to other women,” said Soomar.

“When they saw our passports, this is how we were treated as South Africans.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has vehemently denied any claims of mistreatment, and noted that all activists were given the opportunity to voluntarily be deported without detention.

The six South Africans were among some 450 activists who were arrested as Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 42 boats seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid to the famine-stricken territory. They were detained last week and were brought to Israel.