THREE OF THE 15 Irish citizens detained by Israel after the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla returned home last night, describing the conditions of their detention as “appalling.”

They were among roughly 450 people detained after Israeli forces intercepted 42 vessels that were part of the flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, where famine is affecting an estimated half a million Palestinians.

Thomas McCune, Sarah Clancy, and Donna Schwartz were greeted by family members, friends, and supporters waving Palestinian flags at Dublin Airport.

Upon arrival, they were provided with fresh clothes, water and essential medication.

All 15 Irish participants left Tel Aviv for Athens yesterday and are returning to Ireland on separate flights. The remaining 12 are expected to arrive within the next two days.

Speaking at the airport, poet Sarah Clancy from Clare praised Irish pro-Palestinian demonstrators who blocked Dublin’s Port Tunnel last Thursday in solidarity with the flotilla.

“The Irish government can expect the ports to be blocked from now on, every time we can with whoever we can unless they act themselves to sanction Israel,” Clancy said.

Recalling her time spent in Israeli detention, Clancy said: “We were abducted.”

Recalling her experience, Clancy described the flotilla’s interception as an abduction and said that their treatment upon arrival at Ashdod Port appeared staged for Israeli media.

My sincere thanks to everyone who has supported the Global Sumud Flotilla. I'm home safe & will be followed by the other Irish people today. I'm just catching up and have much more to share but for now I am so so grateful for everyone's attempts to free us. Remember that Gaza is the story not us.

— Sarah Clancy (@sarahmaintains.bsky.social) October 7, 2025 at 9:06 AM

She added that detainees were held under armed guard in Ktzi’ot Prison, deprived of clean water and mattresses.

“At one point, eight men armed with guns pinned us to the back wall of the cell because we wanted mattresses,” Clancy said.

Thomas McCune added that they were “tortured”, adding that they had no access to food or water.

Elsewhere in Europe, Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers withheld medicines and treated prisoners “like monkeys.”

“This is called torture. It’s called torture, a denial of human rights, even the most basic ones,” he said on his return to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport late Saturday.

“They took away everyone’s medicine: people with heart disease, asthma, even an 86-year-old man… they took away his inhaler.”

On Sunday night, lawyer Rafael Borrego was among a group of deported Spanish activists who told reporters at Madrid airport that they had suffered “repeated physical and mental abuse”.

“They beat us, dragged us along the ground, blindfolded us, tied our hands and feet, put us in cages and insulted us,” he alleged.

Among those detained were Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela and several European lawmakers.

An Israeli government statement on X described the activists as “provocateurs,” labelling the flotilla, which aimed to deliver food and medical supplies, the “Hamas-Sumud Flotilla”.

Israel accused the participants of “serving Hamas,” a claim rejected by both the activists and the Irish government.

There were a number of reports of the detainees being kept in poor conditions and subjected to various forms of abuse.

In his statement, Harris paid tribute to the strength of the friends and families of those who were held in detention, adding that Department of Foreign Affairs officials would keep them updated.

He also said officials were monitoring the progress of another aid flotilla carrying Irish citizens that is currently en route to Palestine.

“While my Department continues to advise against travel to the Gaza Strip, in this case our clear priority is to ensure the welfare of our citizens,” he said.

Niamh Mac Namara, coordinator with Global Movement to Gaza Éire the Irish government’s inaction regarding Israel’s war on Gaza “has directly led to this situation, ordinary Irish citizens forced to risk their lives because leaders refused to act”.

“What happened was completely illegal under international law and should never have been allowed.

“If Ireland had imposed sanctions on the genocidal state of Israel and upheld human rights, this mission would never have been necessary. We demand immediate political action to protect those still sailing to Gaza and to end our complicity in this genocide.”

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