On May 18, 2026, Israeli authorities arrested Zainal Rashid Ahmad, a Malaysian journalist and founder of digital media platform ZRA STRIM, while he was sailing aboard the Amanda, a vessel in the Global Sumud Flotilla, an aid convoy attempting to break the blockade on Gaza.
He was among the flotilla participants deported to Istanbul, Turkey, on May 21, after three days and three nights in Israeli custody.
Datuk Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby, the director-general of the Malaysian-based operational and coordinating hub for the flotilla, told Malaysia’s national news agency Bernama that their delegation was expected to undergo a thorough medical examination in Turkey, following reports that some activists had been beaten and sustained injuries.
He also said that, due to mounting international pressure, Israel had been forced to release the detainees unconditionally, despite the initial plan to detain them in Ketziot prison, in the Negev Desert, for an extended amount of time.
After his release and arrival in Istanbul, Ahmad told Malaysian news channel Astro Awani that the group had received poor treatment in Israeli custody, and that they would not be returning to Kuala Lumpur but would instead continue their voyage to Gaza.
Ahmad had already been detained during an earlier phase of the Flotilla mission. He was held on April 30, 2026, along with nine other Malaysians and 186 activists in international waters near Crete, Greece.
Adalah, a legal rights group representing some of the detainees, told CPJ that all detainees had faced alleged abuses, including restricted access to lawyers, humiliation, and violence.
In a video published on X, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir can be heard yelling, “welcome to Israel, we are the landlords,” while waving a large Israeli flag over dozens of detainees kneeling side by side on the floor, their hands tied behind their backs and their heads lowered to the ground. Another video shows security forces violently throwing a handcuffed activist to the ground after the activist shouts “free Palestine” at Ben Gvir. The minister also said the detainees should be imprisoned for “a long, long time.”
In response to an email requesting comment, the Israel Defense Forces told CPJ it “rejects allegations of abuse by IDF soldiers during the operations,” adding that any “concrete complaints submitted to the IDF on the matter will be examined thoroughly.” CPJ’s email requesting comment from the office of Ben-Gvir did not receive a response.