The President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, demanded this Sunday the release of the co-founder of the Progressive International organization, David Adler, along with 170 crew members of the Global Sumud Flotilla detained by Israeli forces while carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

*"We demand the release of the co-coordinator of Progressive International, David Adler, and another 170 crew members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, who were cruelly intercepted by Israeli forces as they approached the coasts of Gaza,"* wrote Díaz-Canel on social media. He further demanded that "the impunity of the genocidal Zionists and their accomplices cease."

Widespread Arrests and Detention Conditions

A lawyer for the flotilla explained to EFE this Sunday that a total of 478 crew members from the mission's 42 boats were arrested after Israel intercepted their vessels in international waters. Following deportations over the past two days, approximately 300 remain in jail.

The remaining detainees are being held in Saharonim prison, located in the heart of the Negev desert in southern Israel. This is a high-security facility originally built to house irregular immigrants arriving from neighboring Egypt, which now also holds Palestinian prisoners, some sentenced to life imprisonment. The first to be deported were those who signed consent forms, while those who refuse deportation face judicial proceedings and must await a judge's approval.

Cuba's Historical Stance on Palestine

Cuba, a historical ally of Palestine, has accused the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of genocide since the start of Israel's attacks on Gaza. Havana severed diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv in 1973. The Cuban government has consistently condemned Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip and accused it of committing "war crimes" against the Palestinian population.