AFP to look into flotilla activist abuse claims

The Australian Jewish Association (AJA) has asked the Australian Federal Police to investigate whether Australian participants in the May 2026 Global Sumud Flotilla broke any laws.

This follows the AFP opening its own inquiry into the activists’ allegations that they were abused by Israel.

The referral, draws on findings by the United States Department of the Treasury, which has designated the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA) as a main organiser of recent flotillas and a front for Hamas operating “at Hamas’s behest”.

In a letter to the AFP Commissioner, AJA chief executive Robert Gregory noted that Australian participants attended training sessions in Barcelona before departure and discussed those activities publicly.

He stressed the association was “not alleging that any particular Australian participant has committed an offence”, but asked the AFP to consider whether any provisions of Part 5.3 of the Criminal Code Act 1995, concerning support for, association with, training from or financing of terrorist organisations, may be relevant.

Gregory framed the request as a matter of consistency.

“I shared the surprise of many that the AFP is devoting resources to investigating extraordinary allegations made by flotilla participants,” he said.

“Given the seriousness of US Treasury’s findings that organisations and individuals involved in organising the flotilla were linked to a Hamas-controlled network, I am hopeful the AFP will treat this matter with at least the same degree of seriousness.”

The AFP confirmed it had begun inquiries into claims by 11 Australian activists that they were mistreated after being detained aboard the flotilla.

The activists took part in the May voyage, when they were intercepted in international waters, imprisoned and eventually deported from Israel.

They were among more than 430 people from 40 countries seized in the operation. Members of the group claim they experienced violence, sexual assault and abuse while in Israeli custody.

Some participants met Foreign Minister Penny Wong and senior AFP officers at Parliament House on Monday, where they pressed the federal government for commitments including the expulsion of Israel’s ambassador to Australia.

Juliet Lamont, who alleges she was raped by an Israeli soldier, said AFP representatives agreed to an independent investigation.

“[Senator Wong] said she believed us,” Lamont told reporters. Several dozen protesters, including two of the Australians, demonstrated at Parliament House on Tuesday over the alleged mistreatment.

The Israeli embassy “categorically” rejected earlier claims the activists were mistreated.

“Such claims are entirely baseless and are intended solely to advance the provocateurs’ smear campaign against Israel,” it said in a statement, adding that “no real evidence was presented to support them” and that participants pictured with injuries had appeared in other photos “looking very healthy”.

The embassy said this was the fourth such flotilla intended as a provocation, that several individuals associated with it were “well known agitators” with links to terror groups, and that inspections had revealed “no meaningful humanitarian cargo on board”.

“Rather than contributing to genuine humanitarian outcomes, the Gaza flotilla has undermined them and distracted from actual efforts to support civilians,” the embassy said.

The Israel Defence Forces said its orders require “respectful and appropriate treatment of flotilla participants”, with established procedures in place, and that any concrete complaints would be examined thoroughly.

The Israeli Prison Service dismissed the claims as “false and entirely without factual basis”, saying all detainees were held lawfully. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir drew global condemnation after posting a video taunting detained, kneeling activists.