Cork man recalls 'blood curdling screams' of people on Gaza flotilla intercepted by Israeli forces

Crosshaven man Joshua St Leger, who was among up to a dozen Irish citizens detained by Israel last week, said he and other volunteers were subjected to ongoing physical and mental abuse during their detention.

The 26-year-old, who was travelling as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine, was aboard one of 10 vessels intercepted by Israeli forces some 70 nautical miles off the coast of Cyprus on May 18.

Following the interception, the detainees were taken from their vessels and transported to two prison ships, where Mr St Leger said they were consistently abused by Israeli military officials.

“They hit me in the face, chest and side, pushed me against a container wall, [and] threw me to the ground, punched me and kicked me — all while the Israeli national anthem was playing.

“We were treated in conditions that were completely inhuman, but the Palestinians are being treated so much worse," said Mr St Leger.

“They took us on a small rib to the prison ships, which were retrofitted container ships.

“We were brought to a courtyard with five containers we could sleep in, and there were about 10 portaloos, which was the extent of our amenities. If you requested things like toilet paper, sanitary pads or water, they would threaten you,” he added.

Flooded the floors

“Any little thing they could do, they did. They flooded the floors at night so you couldn’t sit down.

“However, this was a tourist experience of a genocide. Everyone who got on the other prison ship was beaten by three people by default, and they were shot at regularly with non-lethal bullets and 14 people admitted to being sexually assaulted on the other prison ship.

“On my ship, I witnessed a woman getting pulled and another woman yelled that she was being raped. I heard screams, the most blood-curdling screams you’ve ever heard.

“Every time we were moved, it was forcibly and with beatings and I think this was a method of minor torture to break us.

“It was only two-and-a-half days, but it felt like a lot longer,” he said.

Before being transported to Turkey he was taken to a cell where he stayed for the night. 

“While I was there, they were playing videos of mutilated Palestinians on a projector outside. 

"This was only a glimpse of what the Palestinians are facing. I think this will haunt me.”