The six South African activists who were detained in Israel after they were abducted from the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza have recounted harrowing stories of their experiences at the hands of Israeli security forces.

“We were handcuffed with cable ties, tied tightly behind our backs, taken off our boats, and paraded for all the Israelis and their allies in the West to see,” Mandla Mandela, a grandson of the late South African president and anti-apartheid activist, Nelson Mandela, told a media briefing at OR Tambo International Airport near Johannesburg shortly after landing back home on Wednesday.

He said Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir came and shouted at them: "You support baby killers and call us terrorists," Mandela said, adding he was frozen at the statement in disbelief, and activists responded back, “Free, Free Palestine. We are not baby killers; you’re the baby killers, and Ben-Gvir had no response,” he said.

“Comrades, a people united can never be defeated. That was illustrated in Ashdod, and we sent Ben-Gvir home packing. We were subjected to all forms of brutality from them. But it’s nothing compared to what Palestinians have been subjected to on a daily basis,’’ he noted.

'Rifles pointed at us'

“We were kidnapped on international waters; Palestinians are attacked, maimed, and killed. This can never be about us. The narrative has to be constantly about Palestinians and the atrocities they face,” he said.

Dr. Fatima Hendricks, a South African occupational therapist, said Israeli soldiers came into their cell room and attacked two women outside their cell door, where they were trying to get a mattress.

“We had rifles pointed at our foreheads, backed against the wall to take out two of our comrades to solitary confinement," she recalled emotionally.

Hendricks said there were about 10 or 12 women in their cell, yet Israeli soldiers responded to them with this type of brutal violence. “These are Zionist occupational forces that know nothing but violence,’’ she said.

'We will not stop'

Hendricks added that they were refused to wear their Muslim veil while at the prison, describing it as a manifestation of anti-Muslim hatred. “I have been wearing a hijab since the age of 11. I’m 50 at Ashdod; it was off,” she said.

Activist Zaheera Soomar said she does not regret joining the Global Sumud Flotilla that sought to break Israel’s blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

“It doesn’t mean it was easy; it was a very difficult journey. We will commit to another mission again; until the genocide is ended, we will not stop,” she said.

Other South Africans who participated in the mission included author Zukiswa Wanner, Carrie Shelver, and Reaz Moola.

Activists thank Turkish government

Mandela said their mission was supported by the Italian and Spanish navies, but when they crossed the yellow zone, they withdrew their ships. “We were also accompanied by the Turkish drones that were hovering above us and feeding us information on a daily basis as we sailed closer and closer to Gaza.’’

“We thank the Turkish government, Turkish people, and NGOs, particularly TIKA and the Red Crescent, who brought humanitarian aid onto the Alma boat,” he said.

He said the mission was funded by ordinary donors and solidarity movements, and no government paid.