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People welcome activists who took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla that attempted to sail to Gaza after they were released from Israeli prison, at Tunis–Carthage International Airport in Tunis, Tunisia, October 5, 2025
PRO-PALESTINIAN activists were still being detained by Tunisian authorities today after being accused of financial crimes as they prepared to launch a new Gaza humanitarian flotilla.
The activists were detained on Friday by Tunisia’s National Guard financial crimes unit for alleged money laundering, fraud and misuse of funds collected through flotilla campaign donations.
The probe reportedly targets several managers and members of the flotilla steering committee, with certain members taken into custody as authorities verify the origin and management of donation funds.
Tunisian authorities have not publicly commented on the detentions.
Activists said the police had detained Wael Naouar, Jawaher Channa and Nabil Channoufi, of the Global Sumud Flotilla steering committee and its Tunisian organising body.
None of the detainees have commented, but flotilla organisers accused authorities of targeting activists supporting the Palestinian cause and called for their immediate release.
The detentions followed several days of disruptions to flotilla-related events in Tunis linked to preparations for a new civilian mission seeking to sail toward Gaza. Israel intercepted boats and detained activists on a similar flotilla effort last year.
According to organisers, the new flotilla is to include more than 1,000 activists including medical doctors, war crimes investigators and engineers.
It will be supported by a land convoy that is expected to attract thousands more. The boats are expected to sail from Spain, Tunisia and Italy.
Authorities banned a planned event last Thursday in Tunis that had been expected to host international activists, including Brazilian campaigner Thiago Avila, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Global March to Gaza Palestinian organiser Seif Abu Koshk.
Mr Avila’s team said on Facebook that he was also detained Friday at Brussels Airport while traveling from Tunis to Amsterdam for a meeting of the Hague Group, a bloc of states committed to legal and diplomatic measures in defence of international law.
