‘Hijabs torn off, medicine stolen’: British activist on Gaza flotilla recounts Israeli abuse
Evie Snedker, one of 13 Britons detained in Israel’s raid on the Global Sumud Flotilla, says female activists faced humiliation and denial of basic needs, praising Türkiye’s care after their release.
Evie Snedker, 26, a British activist detained after Israel’s attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla last week, described “terrible” and “inhumane” treatment at the hands of Israeli soldiers.
Speaking to Anadolu at London’s Heathrow Airport after returning from Türkiye on Sunday, Snedker said male soldiers forcibly removed Muslim women’s hijabs in front of men, while she herself was denied food, water, and medication.
“They stole my EpiPen from me. I said, ‘I could die,’ and they said, ‘We don’t care,’” she recalled. “As a white Western woman, I can only imagine what Palestinians go through.”
Snedker also accused the soldiers of being “incompetent” and “disorganised,” claiming they could not handle the vessel or their equipment. “They couldn’t even stand up on the boat with the waves … the immaturity and incompetence really shone through,” she said.
She said she witnessed soldiers mocking Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who was forced to sit alone while Israeli troops jeered and hung Israeli flags beside her.
‘The Turks treated us amazingly well’
After being deported to Türkiye, Snedker said the activists received immediate medical and psychological care.
“The Turks treated us amazingly well, I have to say, from the moment we landed,” she said. “They gave us clothes, shoes, food, full medical checks, even psychological analysis.”
Snedker said she was hospitalised upon arrival due to illness and later transferred to a hotel. Despite the trauma, she vowed to return to future flotillas bound for Gaza.
“I think if we regroup, it’s possible to get there,” she said.
Raid on international waters
Israeli naval forces attacked and seized vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters on Wednesday, detaining more than 470 activists from over 50 countries.
The flotilla aimed to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and challenge Israel’s 18-year blockade. Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, leaving Gaza in ruins.