- 428 humanitarian volunteers, doctors and journalists from the Global Sumud Flotilla allege they were illegally seized in international waters, systematically beaten, sexually assaulted and tortured by Israeli forces aboard the U.S.-built landing ship INS Nahshon.
- The INS Nahshon was financed by U.S. taxpayers and built in Louisiana and American-made stun grenades and projectile rounds were used at close range against civilians, prompting calls for a U.S. investigation into its role in the alleged atrocities.
- Dr. Jihan Alya Mohd Nordin documented 35 participants with fractured bones and severe head injuries, along with 14 cases of sexual assault, providing clinical evidence of systematic torture.
- Legal proceedings have been initiated in Turkey, Italy and Spain, with Italian prosecutors opening an investigation into kidnapping and sexual assault related to the flotilla.
- The incident follows the deadly 2010 Mavi Marmara raid, which resulted in no accountability and occurs amid an ongoing genocide case at the International Court of Justice and ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders.
A new international human rights crisis is unfolding at sea, with 428 humanitarian volunteers, journalists and medical professionals from the Global Sumud Flotilla alleging they were illegally detained, tortured, and sexually abused by Israeli forces aboard a U.S.-built ship using American-made weapons—prompting calls for Washington to investigate its own role in the atrocities.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is an international coalition of activists, doctors and journalists attempting to break Israel's siege of Gaza. Testimonies were published Tuesday, with the incident occurring aboard the Israeli landing ship INS Nahshon, built in Louisiana and financed by the U.S. government.
Participants say they were illegally seized in international waters, processed through a darkened shipping container where they were systematically beaten, and subjected to sexual assault, fractured bones, concussions, and other trauma—all while U.S. officials allegedly failed to intervene.
"The flotilla has faced repeated sabotage and drone attacks, which activists have blamed on Israel, prompting Spain and Italy to dispatch warships for its protection. This mission represents a desperate, high-profile effort to draw global attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where a near-total blockade has led to mass famine among over a million displaced Palestinians," said BrightU.AI's Enoch.
The torture boat: A U.S.-made vessel of abuse
The INS Nahshon, an amphibious landing ship constructed by Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding in Louisiana and fully financed by American taxpayers, has become central to the allegations. Global Sumud Flotilla activists first identified the vessel during the previous Gaza-bound flotilla, when dozens of detainees emerged with broken ribs, noses and other injuries. This time, the group says the ship was used as a floating detention center where abuse was systematic and premeditated.
According to the flotilla’s media team, detained humanitarians, doctors and journalists were processed one by one through a darkened shipping container. Inside, groups of three to five soldiers allegedly brutalized each person entering while those waiting outside listened to screams. The pattern suggests coordinated violence rather than isolated incidents, raising questions about command responsibility.
American-made weapons used at close range
The weapons used against civilian flotilla members also bore U.S. markings. Stun grenades and metal-bearing projectile rounds were identified by manufacturer markings as products of Combined Tactical Systems, based in Jamestown, Pennsylvania. Witnesses say these weapons were fired at close range in enclosed spaces against participants who were sitting down or attempting to sleep—a direct violation of the manufacturer’s own usage guidelines.
Global Sumud Flotilla argues that none of this was accidental, pointing to the U.S. government’s role in financing the ship, supplying the weapons and providing diplomatic cover for Israel as evidence of systemic complicity.
Dr. Jihan Alya Mohd Nordin, a Malaysian physician aboard the flotilla, documented 35 participants with fractured or dislocated bones, severe head injuries including concussions and eye or ear trauma, and 14 cases of sexual assault. She herself was shoved, struck, punched, kicked and choked by captors who forcibly stripped off her hijab. Her medical documentation provides clinical evidence supporting allegations of torture and sexual assault that international human rights law prohibits under any circumstances.
Historical context: A pattern of impunity
The May 2010 raid on the MV Mavi Marmara, during which Israeli forces killed nine volunteers including Turkish-American teenager Furkan Do?an, established a troubling precedent. That incident resulted in international condemnation but no meaningful accountability. Former State Department official Josh Paul, who resigned in 2023 over U.S. arms transfers to Israel, noted that the INS Nahshon’s use for illegal seizure in international waters and as a base for torture plainly violates U.S. law. He emphasized that when the sale was authorized, officials should have anticipated this outcome given the Mavi Marmara incident.
The flotilla organizers criticized the State Department’s diplomatic shielding and the U.S. Embassy’s refusal to assist American families seeking information about detained loved ones. Current U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a Christian Zionist who has denied the existence of the Palestinian people, joined other officials in condemning the abuse, but critics argue such condemnations ring hollow when the U.S. continues to provide tens of billions of dollars in armed aid and diplomatic cover.
Legal proceedings are now active in Turkey, Italy and Spain. Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into kidnapping and sexual assault related to the flotilla. The flotilla organizers are calling on the U.S. government to investigate Israel’s use of U.S.-origin arms to abuse American citizens, suspend arms transfers pending that probe, and end unconditional military and diplomatic support for what they describe as a regime committing genocide.
Broader context of violence in gaza
Since October 2023, Israeli forces have killed or wounded more than 250,000 Palestinians in Gaza, while forcibly displacing, intentionally starving, or sickening around 2 million others. The International Court of Justice is hearing a genocide case filed by South Africa and supported by nearly 20 nations. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes against humanity.
Flotilla participants have stressed that their ordeal pales in comparison to the plight of thousands of Palestinian men, women and children imprisoned by Israel, often without charge under administrative detention. As legal proceedings move forward in multiple countries, the question remains whether the United States will finally confront its role in enabling the violence—or continue to look away.
Watch this report about the Global Sumud Flotilla.
This video is from Fritjof Persson channel on Brighteon.com.
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