Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed the release of the three activists, who were part of an international convoy seeking to transport humanitarian supplies, including medicine and temporary housing units, to the Gaza Strip.

According to the Global Sumud Flotilla, the group was among approximately 230 activists from multiple countries involved in the overland mission. The organization said the three Italians had crossed into neighboring Tunisia following their release and were accompanied by a Tunisian activist who had also been detained.

The activists were identified by Tajani as Domenico Centrone, Leonarda Alberizia and Matias Alvarez Rodriguez, an Italian citizen born in Uruguay.

The Global Sumud Flotilla said another six detainees were expected to be released within the next 24 hours. The organization alleged that those held had been subjected to arbitrary detention, communication restrictions and sustained psychological pressure during their confinement.

The detentions occurred amid growing international attention on activist-led efforts to challenge restrictions on access to Gaza, where humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned of shortages of food, medicine and essential supplies following months of conflict.

Israel maintains control over access points into Gaza and has enforced a blockade on the territory since 2007. During the war, aid deliveries have faced repeated disruptions, intensifying concerns among international humanitarian organizations.

The release comes weeks after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the treatment of activists detained during previous Gaza-related missions. Her comments followed the circulation of video footage posted by an Israeli minister showing detained activists bound and kneeling, images that drew criticism from several governments, including Australia, Canada and Spain.

The Global Sumud Flotilla has organized a series of maritime and overland initiatives intended to deliver assistance to Gaza. Last month, around 50 vessels departed from Türkiye as part of a renewed effort to reach the enclave after earlier missions were intercepted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the flotilla campaign, describing it as an operation designed to assist Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that governs Gaza.

Previous attempts by activists to reach Gaza have encountered repeated obstacles. In April, a flotilla operating in international waters near Greece was intercepted, and most participants were subsequently returned to Europe.

The circumstances surrounding the detention of the activists in Libya have not been publicly detailed by Libyan authorities.

Indonesian journalist Rahendro Herubowo said activists were beaten, shocked with tasers and held in overcrowded detention containers after Israeli forces seized the flotilla near Cyprus on May 18-19. He alleged detainees were denied adequate water and medical assistance during their confinement.

Sri Lankan activist and medic Sameera Mahboobdeen said dozens of activists suffered injuries, including suspected fractures and head wounds, while requests for medical treatment were ignored. She also alleged that several women reported sexual assault during detention.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of around 50 boats and 400 activists, was attempting to deliver food and medical aid to Gaza by challenging Israel’s maritime blockade.

Malaysia-based group Sumud Nusantara said it has documented allegations of excessive force, sleep deprivation, restricted access to food and water, and prolonged interrogations. The group is coordinating with Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry to pursue legal action and seek an investigation through the International Criminal Court.

Israeli authorities had not publicly responded to the specific allegations contained in the activists’ accounts.

Yunus, a member of rights group KontraS, suffered severe injuries and lost sight in one eye after two men on a motorcycle threw acid at him in March shortly after he recorded a podcast discussing the military’s role in government.

The four defendants, all members of Indonesia’s Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS), are charged with premeditated assault. Prosecutors told a military court in Jakarta that the attack was an act of personal revenge rather than an operation ordered by military superiors.

According to prosecutors, the accused were angered by Yunus and another activist’s protest against revisions to Indonesia’s military law, which expanded the number of government institutions that can employ active-duty military personnel.

The case drew national attention after BAIS chief Yudi Abrimantyo stepped down following the arrests. Rights groups have called for the proceedings to be moved to a civilian court, citing concerns about transparency and accountability.

The court is expected to continue hearing arguments before delivering a verdict.

The accusations emerged after hundreds of participants from the Global Sumud Flotilla arrived in Türkiye and other European countries following their deportation from Israel. The flotilla, comprising around 50 vessels, was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters roughly 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Israel’s coast while attempting to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.

According to accounts provided by activists and journalists, detainees were transferred from their vessels to military boats and then taken to the southern Israeli port of Ashdod, where they were allegedly held in shipping containers and subjected to physical abuse.

Several detainees told media outlets they were punched, kicked, dragged, restrained for extended periods and denied access to lawyers or consular representatives. Some also alleged that tasers and attack dogs were used during the detention process.

Among those making allegations was Turkish activist Zeynel Abidin Ozkan, who said detainees were forced to keep their heads lowered while handcuffed and were subjected to rough treatment after refusing to sign documents presented by authorities.

American activist Christopher Boren said he suffered facial injuries after being struck shortly after arriving at Ashdod port, while Italian journalist Alessandro Mantovani described being blindfolded, restrained and physically handled during transfers between vessels and detention facilities.

Greek activist Yiannis Atmatzidis also alleged he was beaten and subjected to a taser discharge during processing procedures.

The claims have drawn international attention, particularly after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir appeared in a widely circulated video involving detained flotilla participants.

The footage prompted criticism from several foreign governments, some of which reportedly summoned Israeli diplomats to discuss concerns over the treatment of detainees.

Israeli authorities have rejected the allegations. Israeli Prison Service spokesperson Zivan Freidin described the accusations as “false and entirely without factual basis.”

The flotilla’s organizers said the mission was intended to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza and challenge restrictions imposed under Israel’s blockade. Israeli authorities maintain that maritime restrictions are part of security measures aimed at preventing weapons and military supplies from reaching militant groups operating in the territory.

The competing accounts are likely to intensify international scrutiny of Israel’s handling of foreign activists and humanitarian missions linked to Gaza, while adding to broader diplomatic tensions surrounding the conflict.

In a report titled “Building up Imaginary Enemies,” Amnesty said Indonesian authorities, including elements of the military, had amplified false narratives portraying journalists, academics, protesters and human rights activists as “foreign agents” working against national interests.

The rights group said the tactic had become more pronounced during the 18 months since Prabowo assumed office, describing online disinformation as a systematic tool used to suppress dissent and narrow public debate.One of the cases highlighted in the report involved Indonesian activist Andrie Yunus, who suffered severe injuries in an acid attack in March that left him blind in one eye.

Amnesty said Yunus, 27, had been outspoken against what critics describe as the military’s growing role in civilian governance and was attacked shortly after recording a podcast discussing the issue.

According to Amnesty, online abuse and accusations labeling critics as agents of foreign influence frequently preceded physical intimidation and violence.The organization also criticized major technology platforms, including about meta, tiktok, x and youtube , alleging they failed to adequately remove harmful disinformation targeting activists and government opponents.

AFP reported that requests for comment were sent to Indonesian authorities and the technology companies named in the report.

Responses were not immediately available.In statements included in Amnesty’s report, TikTok said it continued working with global safety partners to strengthen content moderation systems, while Meta said it regularly updated its human rights reporting and platform oversight measures.

Amnesty regional researcher Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong said the investigation identified state-linked actors involved in amplifying false accusations, including members of Prabowo’s Gerindra Party and at least one presidential staff member.

“Under international human rights law, the government has an obligation to refrain from spreading disinformation,” Chanatip told AFP, adding that authorities also had a responsibility to prevent and address coordinated campaigns targeting critics.

Prabowo, a former military general, has faced scrutiny from rights groups for alleged past abuses linked to Indonesia’s authoritarian era, allegations he has repeatedly denied.

The strike, which occurred on Wednesday, targeted the Al-Salama neighborhood near a girls’ school, according to the El-Fasher Resistance Committee.

The group attributed the attack to the Sudanese army, which has been engaged in a conflict with the Rapid Support Forces since April 2023.

A medical source said the victims brought to a local hospital included six children, among them three secondary school students.

Sixteen others were wounded in the attack, including women and children, and are receiving treatment.

The strike underscores the continuing toll of the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region, where fighting between the army and paramilitary forces has displaced large numbers of civilians and strained already limited medical resources.