Statement by Internationalist Standpoint
Saif Abukeshek and Thiago Ávila remain in the hands of the Israeli state following their arrest during an international solidarity mission to Gaza. Their continued detention is not an isolated incident—it is part of the systematic repression used to enforce the siege of Gaza and intimidate those who stand with the Palestinian people.
Abukeshek, a Palestinian activist with Spanish citizenship, and Ávila, a Brazilian campaigner, were among participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail from Barcelona carrying humanitarian aid and aiming to challenge the blockade imposed on Gaza. The vessels were illegally intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters in the eastern Mediterranean.
While most activists were eventually released and returned to Greece, Abukeshek and Ávila were transferred to Israel and have faced extended detention. Reports indicate delays in formal charges and limited transparency around legal proceedings.
Although a ceasefire is in place, the IDF and the Israeli government have continued their genocidal operations in Gaza and the West Bank, while they have now engaged in attacking Iran and occupying part of Lebanon. The Israeli state is breaking every official and unofficial rule of law acting like a rogue terrorist against the people of the Middle East, with the support or tolerance of Western Imperialist governments.
The genocide in Gaza, and the broader oppression of the Palestinian people, can only be confronted through mass international struggle. The courage of those who take direct action must be matched by the organised power of the working class globally.
Trade unions, student organisations, movements and socialist forces internationally must act to:
- Demand the immediate and unconditional release of Saif Abukeshek and Thiago Ávila
- Form a united antiwar movement that can organize mass protests and strikes/blockades to demand an end to the blockade of Gaza and the occupation
The struggle for Palestinian liberation is inseparable from the global struggle against capitalism, imperialism, and repression.
