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Australian activists detained in Israel have described experiencing what they call “demeaning and insulting conditions” after their detainment aboard a flotilla transporting aid to Gaza.

An activist, Surya McEwen, stated he was slapped and experienced a dislocated arm and had his head forced into the ground.

Health Concerns and Prison Environment

Another participant, Juliet Lamont, voiced serious fear about her well-being, saying she was at danger of stroke after her prescription drugs were seized by authorities.

She described the detention facility as “dystopian” and noted that her appeal for more medication had not been fulfilled.

McEwen and Lamont are among a group of Aussies verified by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to have been taken into custody in Israel.

Officials mentioned they are offering consular assistance to the detainees, including through direct meetings.

Claims of Poor Conditions

The activists are being detained in a high-security prison in the Negev desert and allege that they and other detainees were given water that was undrinkable due to a foul odor.

McEwen told consular staff that he had been kept in a cage with 80 other people without food or water, while being exposed to verbal attacks from authorities.

Lamont stated that upon reaching Ketziot prison, she was taken to a room with female detainees and insulted by guards, who called them “militants”.

Arrest and Handling Details

McEwen, in his forties, and the documentary film-maker, 54 years old, were arrested on last week when their Gaza-bound ships were stopped by the naval forces.

They were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla comprising dozens of boats and more than 450 people, including lawmakers, lawyers, and activists.

Dfat officials visited the Aussie detainees on the following day.

According to a report reviewed by media outlets, McEwen detailed “abusive and insulting behavior” after being taken to the port of Ashdod.

He stated that his morale was poor due to restriction of rest and physical intimidation from Israeli prison guards.

Family Concerns and Medical Issues

McEwen’s parent, Jacinta McEwen, a former nurse, expressed she had been contacting authorities for daily updates and was worried about the “full-on” situation her son was experiencing.

“If he’s got a dislocated shoulder and he’s had a head injury and he hasn’t received any medical aid, I’m worried about that,” she stated.

McEwen thought her son’s return was being hindered because he refused to sign a form admitting he had entered Israel illegally.

The convoy argues it was illegally intercepted by the Israeli navy in international waters.

McEwen also told officials that authorities had destroyed pages of his travel document because it was electronically embedded.

Both activists discarded their phones into the sea before their capture.

Variations in Detainment Experiences

While he said his arrest on board the Mia Mia was executed with minimal force, Lamont – travelling on a different ship – described a “demeaning” experience.

Lamont claimed her hands were bound behind her back, she was targeted with a water cannon, and was left to sit in an stifling space with her hands restrained and clothes drenched for an extended period.

During this time, she reported her head was repeatedly shoved down by Israeli forces.

Detention Conditions and Health Effects

Both are being held in the facility, which is primarily used to hold Palestinian prisoners, many of whom Israel accuses of engaging in unlawful acts.

After Australian officials met with her, they observed she was “emotionally distressed”, weeping repeatedly during the meeting.

The parent was described as feeling dehydrated, feeble, lightheaded, and disoriented.

Lamont mentioned a guard had warned her that water from taps was contaminated, and she feared her dehydration was exacerbating her hypertension.

On the day of her detainment, after her daily medication was confiscated, Lamont explained a doctor – after checking her blood pressure – had given her one dose of drugs.

But after representatives visited her, they noted she was feeling weak, disoriented, and tired, and worried she was at risk of stroke.

Her request to see a doctor again had gone unanswered.

International and Relative Responses

A spokesperson for the activist group voiced fear that her acquaintance was at risk of succumbing without necessary drugs.

Julie Webb-Pullman of another Aussie detainee, her daughter, said she had received a call from Australian officials giving a verbal account of their visit to Ketziot prison.

She reported that her child had been exposed to mistreatment, humiliation, threats, and was physically handled and shoved.

She was also left in a open area in the sun for five hours with no protection, sustenance.

She further described a faucet with contaminated water, meaning she had consumed minimal fluids in days.

Government Statements

Dfat replied to questions with a statement that said the Australian government had “expressed to Israeli officials the need for detainees to be treated humanely according to global standards”.

“We repeat our call on Israel to enable the sustained, unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” the announcement added.

Media outlets contacted Israel’s prison service, the military, the foreign office, and the Israeli embassy in Australia, but no one responded to a query.