THE MIND OF THE PEOPLE – A number of Indonesian citizens (WNI) who were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) humanitarian mission to Gaza, Palestine experienced a heartbreaking experience. After their ship was stopped by Israeli soldiers in international waters, the Indonesian volunteers and journalists admitted to experiencing various forms of torture while being held on a prison ship belonging to the Israeli army.
This horrific story was conveyed by Indonesian citizens upon arrival at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten, Sunday 24 May 2026. They revealed how harsh treatment and alleged physical violence they experienced while in detention.
One of the journalists who took part in the mission, Andre Prasetyo Nugroho from Tempo, described the moment when the ship he was on was stopped by Israeli soldiers on Monday 18 May 2026.
According to Andre, after the interception occurred, all the volunteers and crew members were immediately taken to a large ship which was used as a detention center.
“After that I was put on a prison ship, a large prison ship, a ship belonging to the IDF Zionist army. Then after that I experienced a lot of torture,” he said.
Andre admitted that his hands were handcuffed so tightly that they left wounds. He also said that a number of other volunteers experienced harsher treatment.
- Also read: Death toll in Gaza reaches 72 thousand, the majority are women and children
According to his confession, there were mission participants from Europe who were shot using rubber bullets. Apart from that, the prisoners were also forcibly woken up using loud instruments that hurt their ears.
“My friends from Europe were shot with rubber bullets and I don’t know what it’s called, for those who shot in the ear, those who suddenly became deaf when shot, to wake us up every morning,” he said.
In the midst of these conditions, Andre went on a hunger strike as a form of protest against the treatment he received. He only returned to eating after being declared free.
Even though he experienced a traumatic experience, Andre emphasized that the suffering he experienced was still nothing compared to Palestinians living in the midst of a prolonged conflict.
“What I experienced was nothing, just a drop, just a small grain of suffering every day Palestinians experience,” he said.
He also asked the Indonesian government to continue fighting for Palestinian independence through international diplomacy.
“So, don’t forget to continue to support Palestinian independence. I ask the government to continue working on the diplomatic process for Palestinian independence,” continued Andre.
A similar experience was also conveyed by Republika journalist, Thoudy Hurricane Rifan Billah. He was tasked with documenting the journey of the humanitarian mission, including when their ship was intercepted by Israeli soldiers.
However, according to Thoudy, the participants’ communication networks were deliberately disrupted so that their documentation could not be sent out.
“Finally I was intercepted along with friends from other Indonesian delegations. While in detention, for about four days, of course what we experienced there was cruel,” he said.
Even though they admitted that they had experienced harsh treatment, Thoudy still emphasized that the main focus of their struggle was to defend Palestine.
“This is not about me, not about other friends, but this is all about Palestine. So, keep speaking out for Palestine, keep supporting Palestine,” he said.
Meanwhile, a member of the GPCI media team, Rahendro Herubowo, revealed an even more terrifying experience. He said all the volunteers were asked to lie face down in a large room on the prison ship before the torture began.
- Also Read: Indonesia Brings Cases of Arrested Indonesian Citizens to the UN Security Council, Israel Cannot Be Tolerated
The prisoners were doused with water while lying face down, then one by one were called to be examined in different rooms.
“I was hit on the head, I don’t know how many times. Then the front of my body, the back, and when I fell, I was also stepped on. Lastly, I was electrocuted so I finally screamed quite loudly, only then did they finally let go,” explained Heru.
According to Heru, the pressure exerted was not only physical, but also mental. The volunteers were said to have only been given minimal food in the form of one slice of bread and water.
He also revealed allegations of harassment against several female activists during their detention.
“Friends of female activists, when I hear the news, there are people who have experienced harassment too, but I can’t explain in detail what kind of harassment it is. And there are also some points where we have to apologize and have to strip naked, I don’t know what that means, then they take photos. That’s more or less like that,” explained Heru.
The testimony of these Indonesian volunteers immediately caught the public’s attention and gave rise to a wave of support for the humanitarian struggle for Palestine. Many parties hope that the Indonesian government and the international community can provide stronger protection for civilian volunteers carrying out humanitarian missions in conflict areas.***
