SPAIN has demanded the immediate release of one of its citizens being held by Israel, one of two men still being held following the Israeli military’s assault on the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters last week.

Saif Abu Keshek is a dual Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian origin. He and Thiago Avila of Brazil have been taken to Israel, though everyone else among the 175 flotilla volunteers — whose mission sought to deliver food and medical aid to blockaded Gaza — was released in Greece. Brazil demanded Mr Avila’s release last week.

Israeli rights group Adalah says they have both been mistreated, with Mr Avila reporting being beaten until he passed out. Mr Abu Keshek was blindfolded and forced to lie face-down on the floor all the way to Israel, it says.

The pair are accused of association with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, which the US government alleges has links to the Hamas resistance group.