Spain: Global Sumud Flotilla activist returns to Spain after Israeli detention.

SHOTLIST: BARCELONA, SPAIN (MAY 10, 2026) 1. PEOPLE CHANTING SLOGANS AS THEY CARRY PALESTINIAN FLAGS (TWO SHOTS) 2. ACTIVIST SAIF ABUKESHEK ARRIVING AT AIRPORT SALOON / PEOPLE CHANTING SLOGANS / ABUKESHEK GREETINF FRIENDS AND RELATIVES 3. VARIOUS OF ABUKESHEK SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (Spanish)BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 10, 2026: Activist Saif Abukeshek, who was detained by Israel for 10 days after the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters, returned to the Spanish city of Barcelona on Sunday, May 10. Abukeshek was welcomed at Barcelona El Prat Airport by family members, friends and pro-Palestinian activists chanting “Free Palestine” slogans. Speaking after his arrival, the activist said the journey was “only just beginning” and that he planned to continue participating in solidarity initiatives for Gaza. Abukeshek said his main concern remained the situation of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons, alleging that many faced violence and mistreatment. The Palestinian-origin activist, who also holds Swedish citizenship, criticized what he described as the silence of some governments toward Israeli actions in Gaza. He said the purpose of the flotilla initiative was to keep international attention focused on Gaza and the humanitarian situation faced by Palestinians under blockade. Israel released on Sunday two activists of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, Brazilian Thiago de Avila and Spanish activist of Palestinian origin Saif Abukeshek, and deported them, following their extended detention. Their release came "after their investigation was completed," said the Israeli Foreign Ministry on the US social media company X. Their detentions had previously been extended twice by the Israeli judiciary. The Global Sumud Flotilla was attacked on April 30, near the Greek island of Crete, some 600 nautical miles from its destination, the blockade-ravaged enclave of Gaza. The flotilla's first ships, carrying humanitarian aid, left Barcelona on April 12, while the main fleet set sail from the Italian island of Sicily on April 26, aiming to break Israel's years-long blockade of Gaza. Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million people on the verge of starvation. The Israeli army launched a brutal two-year offensive on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 people, injuring over 172,000, and causing massive destruction across the besieged territory.