The vessel, carrying humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, was seized in international waters by the Israeli navy before being diverted to a detention facility in the Negev desert.
The activists, who were aboard a humanitarian mission bound for Gaza, have reportedly been transferred to a prison in Israel’s Negev desert as Pretoria intensifies diplomatic efforts to secure their release.
According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the detainees which include Nkosi Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela, Zukiswa Wanner, Dr. Fatima Hendricks, Zaheera Soomar, Carrie Shelver, and Reaz Moola, are reportedly “in good health and in high spirits.”
Why the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail
The Global Sumud Flotilla is one of the largest humanitarian missions to challenge Israel’s blockade on Gaza in recent years. Comprising dozens of vessels with about 500 international activists, it sought to deliver food, medical supplies, and other essentials to Palestinians facing shortages under the long-standing blockade.
Supporters described the initiative as an act of solidarity, not confrontation.
“This flotilla represents a commitment to human dignity, not an act of provocation,” one organizer said before departure.
But Israel framed it differently. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir defended the detention, insisting that flotilla members were “supporting terrorism” and therefore deserved to be treated like “saboteurs” in the Negev prison camp.
Human rights groups describe the Negev facility as notorious for overcrowding, poor sanitation, and ill-treatment. Released detainees from other countries have alleged being zip-tied for hours, denied access to bathrooms, and even mocked with degrading treatment.
South Africa’s rift with Israel and the U.S
Pretoria’s strong pro-Palestinian stance is not new. At the International Court of Justice earlier this year, South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a move that further strained ties between the two governments.
The flotilla arrests add fresh urgency to this diplomatic rift.
South Africa has since faced secondary consequences with Washington. The United States under President Donald Trump has criticized Pretoria’s “anti-Israel schemes,” imposing sanctions earlier this year and warning of deeper tariff measures if the government continues its line of support for Gaza.
For South Africa, the detainees’ fate has become a lightning rod. Domestically, it has fuelled growing protests to expel Israel’s ambassador and shut down its embassy in Pretoria. Internationally, it has shown how Pretoria’s foreign policy, rooted in its anti-apartheid history and solidarity with Palestinians, places it at odds with Washington’s strategic alignment with Tel Aviv.
As negotiations for the activists’ release continue, the episode highlights not only the human cost of the blockade but also the widening geopolitical gap between South Africa, Israel, and its traditional Western partners.
