PAKISTAN PERSPECTIVE

Islamabad, May 22, 2026. The stories of activists released after the interception of the humanitarian flotilla to Gaza dominate the pages of Pakistani media. Dawn, the country's leading English-language daily, provides in-depth coverage of the testimonies collected by Anadolu Agency at Istanbul Airport, where three Turkish Airlines flights brought back the survivors.

One of the most striking testimonies is that of Mousa Taher, a New Zealand-born Palestinian activist. Arrested for the second time by Israeli forces after a first interception in Greece, he describes being forced to undress on the boat, his hands tied with serflex, losing consciousness after repeated blows. 'They humiliated us. They wanted us to feel insignificant. They made us crawl on the ground to make us feel like we were nothing,' he said. Pointing to injuries on his face and leg, he reports that an Israeli soldier placed his foot on his head while taking a photo 'as if he had captured an animal'.

Mauritanian activist Isselmou Ould Maloum testifies to the escalating violence: 'Every time they use violence and it doesn't solve the problem, they use more.' He notes that many activists suffered rib fractures, while highlighting that these abuses remain 'minor compared to what Palestinians suffer in Israeli prisons'.

According to the tally established by the flotilla organizers, 430 people were arrested on 50 ships intercepted in international waters. At least 15 cases of sexual abuse, including rape, have been documented. The Israeli prison service denies all these allegations. Diplomatically, the European Union discusses possible sanctions against Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Dawn's coverage emphasizes Mousa Taher's conversion to Islam 20 years ago, motivated by his attachment to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and his call for international solidarity. However, the activist refuses any generalization: 'Not all Jews are bad. If we do this, then we become like them'.