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Australian activists detained in Israeli custody have reported experiencing what they call “degrading and humiliating treatment” after their arrest onboard a humanitarian convoy carrying aid to Gaza.

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

Health Concerns and Detention Conditions

A second participant, Lamont, voiced serious fear about her health, saying she was at danger of stroke after her prescription drugs were seized by authorities.

She portrayed the detention facility as “oppressive” and noted that her appeal for more medication had not been met.

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

Authorities stated they are providing consular assistance to the individuals, including through direct meetings.

Allegations of Poor Facilities

They are being detained in a maximum-security facility in the Negev desert and allege that they and other detainees were offered water that was undrinkable due to a strong chemical taste.

He informed Australian officials that he had been kept in a cage with dozens of individuals without food or water, while being exposed to abuse from Israeli officials.

Lamont stated that upon arriving the detention center, she was escorted to a room with female detainees and berated by guards, who called them “militants”.

Interception and Handling Information

McEwen, in his forties, and Lamont, 54 years old, were detained on last week when their Gaza-bound ships were intercepted by the naval forces.

They were part of the international aid mission comprising 42 vessels and more than 450 people, including parliamentarians, lawyers, and campaigners.

Australian representatives visited the detained Australians on Friday.

According to a account seen by media outlets, he detailed “abusive and insulting behavior” after being transferred to the port of Ashdod.

He explained that his morale was poor due to sleep deprivation techniques and physical intimidation from detention staff.

Family Concerns and Health Problems

McEwen’s parent, Jacinta McEwen, a healthcare professional, expressed she had been calling Dfat for regular information and was concerned about the “intense” conditions her son was facing.

“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 believed her son’s deportation was being delayed because he declined to sign a document admitting he had breached immigration laws.

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

He also informed representatives that Israeli soldiers had torn up pages of his passport because it was electronically embedded.

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

Variations in Arrest Accounts

Although he said his arrest on board the vessel was executed with minimal force, Lamont – travelling on a separate boat – recounted a “humiliating” ordeal.

Lamont alleged her hands were bound behind her back, she was sprayed with a water cannon, and was left to sit in an unventilated area with her hands tied and clothes soaked for seven hours.

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

Prison Environment and Medical Impact

Both are being held in Ketziot prison, which is primarily used to detain Palestinian prisoners, many of whom Israel alleges of involvement in militant or terrorist activities.

After consular staff visited her, they noted she was “deeply upset”, crying multiple times during the meeting.

The mother of two was reported as feeling dehydrated, weak, dizzy, and disoriented.

She said a guard had warned her that tap water was contaminated, and she believed her dehydration was worsening her hypertension.

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

But after representatives saw her, they reported she was feeling weak, disoriented, and lethargic, and worried she was at risk of stroke.

Her appeal to see a doctor again had received no response.

International and Relative Reactions

A spokesperson for the activist group voiced concern that her acquaintance was at danger of succumbing without access to medication.

The mother of another Aussie detainee, Bianca Webb-Pullman, said she had received a update from Australian officials giving a summary of their visit to the facility.

Webb-Pullman described that her daughter had been subjected to abuse, humiliation, threats, and was man-handled and shoved.

She was also placed in a courtyard in the sun for several hours with no protection, food or water.

She further described a tap with contaminated water, meaning she had consumed minimal fluids in an extended period.

Official Statements

Dfat responded to questions with a statement that declared the authorities had “made clear to Israel our expectation that detainees will receive humane treatment in line with international norms”.

“We again urge Israel to allow continuous, unrestricted humanitarian aid to reach Gaza,” the announcement continued.

Sources reached out to detention authorities, the Israel Defense Forces, the foreign office, and the Israeli embassy in Australia, but none replied to a request for comment.