Global Outcry Grows as Gaza Aid Activists Detained in Libya Suffer

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: News websites

14 Jun 2026 22:57

Activists from multiple countries have launched a coordinated hunger strike and global protests after members of a Gaza-bound humanitarian convoy were detained in eastern Libya.

Dozens of activists from 13 countries, including Spain, have begun a global hunger strike calling for the immediate release of members of the Global Sumud North African Land Convoy. The group was detained in eastern Libya while en route to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

According to organizers, the detained activists have now gone 10 days without food or water and are being held in inhumane conditions inside undisclosed detention facilities.

In a press release, released on June 11, the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) expressed serious diplomatic and legal concerns after reports indicated that the detention of 10 humanitarian volunteers from the Global Sumud Land Convoy in Benghazi has been extended by an additional 30 days.

The volunteers are being held by the Eastern Internal Security Agency (ISA), a major security force operating under the de facto control of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) in eastern Libya.

"This is not a minor procedural matter. It is the continued detention of unarmed civilians, including medical doctors, who were part of a humanitarian mission to break the siege on Gaza and deliver aid to the Palestinian people. The use of opaque legal procedures to prolong their detention only deepens the political responsibility of those holding them," the press statement read.

Protest in Seville calls for immediate release

Speaking in Seville, Luis Reina of the Global Sumud Flotilla called for the immediate release of 10 Sumud convoy activists detained in eastern Libya while travelling to Gaza with humanitarian aid. He said their detention has been extended by 30 days and stressed that there is still very limited information about their condition. Reina urged Spanish authorities and the European Union to intervene without delay to secure their return.

“We are deeply concerned, as they have been detained for over two weeks in critical [sic] conditions; We condemn the absolute silence and inaction of our governments and demand their immediate release," said Maria Angeles Verede, Women in Black for Justice in War.

Global solidarity movement expands

The mobilization has grown across five continents, with solidarity actions reported in countries including Canada, the United States, Italy, South Africa, and Spain.

Demonstrations have also been announced outside Libyan embassies and foreign ministries, with calls for urgent diplomatic intervention to secure the activists’ release.

Jim Corralejo of the NGO “From Gaza to the World” warned that activists detained in Libya are now facing serious danger after spending 10 days on a hunger and thirst strike. He said they were part of a humanitarian convoy supporting Palestinians in Gaza, which is subjected to genocide under the Israeli Zionist regime.

Allegations against Eastern Libyan authorities and convoy account

Organizers accuse Eastern Libyan authorities of carrying out a wider crackdown on pro-Palestine activism.

Spanish activist Daniel Lobato of The Land Convoy in Libya said external forces are playing a significant role in shaping political dynamics in the region amid continued instability.

He explained that the convoy’s aim was to break the blockade and reach Gaza via North Africa and Egypt, but said it encountered obstruction in eastern Libya.

Lobato added that he participated in negotiations in Sirte to secure safe passage under international law, but said the convoy was ultimately blocked and members were detained in Benghazi under harsh conditions. He reiterated calls for their immediate release and for safe passage to Gaza.

International law claims and closing statements

From Seville, the protest also highlights the detention of Sumud Flotilla activists in Libya, which organizers describe as the criminalization of solidarity activism with Palestine.

They reiterated that the detainees have been on a hunger and thirst strike for 10 days under inhumane conditions and condemned the inaction of Western governments in response to the detention of their nationals.