Switzerland Protests Israel Over Shortened Visit to Gaza Flotilla Detainees

By Olivia Le Poidevin and Emma Farge

GENEVA (Reuters) -Switzerland will file a diplomatic protest to Israel after Israeli security forces cut short a visit by Swiss diplomats to imprisoned detainees from the Gaza aid flotilla, the Swiss foreign ministry said on Friday.

"Due to various incidents, the Israeli security authorities interrupted the visit, preventing the Swiss embassy representatives from talking at length with the group of Swiss nationals," the ministry said in a statement.

Israeli officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Nineteen Swiss nationals were aboard boats in the flotilla of dozens of vessels that tried to deliver aid to Israeli-blockaded Gaza. They were taken into custody on Thursday by Israeli forces who intercepted the flotilla at sea, well off Gaza's coast, and eventually taken to Ketziot prison, according to the Waves of Freedom flotilla group.

Hundreds of other activists including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg were also detained in what was the latest attempt by activists to challenge Israel's naval blockade of Gaza, where it has been waging war since Hamas' October 2023 attack.

The Swiss foreign ministry said it would demand from Israel - with which it has had friendly bilateral ties - immediate and unhindered access to the detained Swiss nationals to ascertain their state of health and conditions of detention.

Representatives from the Swiss teams visited the Ketziot prison for eight hours, the ministry said, adding that they planned to return on Sunday.

The Israeli military on Friday intercepted the last boat in the flotilla attempting to reach the Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials have repeatedly denounced the mission as a stunt. Its foreign ministry said the flotilla was previously warned that it was approaching an active combat zone and violating a "lawful naval blockade", and asked organisers to change course.

In a statement, the Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli naval forces had "illegally intercepted all 42 of our vessels - each carrying humanitarian aid, volunteers, and the determination to break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza".

(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin; editing by Mark Heinrich)