Saif Abukeshek

Saif Abu Keshek is a Palestinian-Spanish activist who campaigns against the Palestinian genocide in Gaza. He is a member of the Palestinian Community of Catalonia, the Intersindical Alternativa de Catalunya and the European Network of Trade Unions for Justice in Palestine.

Early life Born in the Askar refugee camp (West Bank),

Activism While in Palestine, he took part in the student movement and later in the international solidarity movement. Once he arrived in Spain, he continued to mobilize from the diaspora and joined the Palestinian Community of Catalonia and the Intersindical Alternativa de Catalunya as secretary of international relations.

In 2025, as coordinator of the International Coalition Against the Israeli Occupation, he organized the Global March to Gaza, which aimed to be a walking march to Rafah. However, in Egypt he was detained and tortured for three days, and had to return to Catalonia. He abandoned the trip on an Italian coast as a precaution. As director of the Cyber Neptune shell shipping company, he managed the acquisition of the ships that were part of the expedition.

The Global Sumud Flotilla sets sail on April 12, 2026 in Barcelona.

Similarly, in 2026 he boarded the second Global Sumud Flotilla, However, Israeli authorities intercepted the ships near Crete, and detained him along with Thiago Ávila to be taken to Israel. Both reported torture and ill-treatment while in the custody of Israeli forces, and went on a hunger strike in protest until they were released. In response to the kidnapping, a demonstration was organized with nearly 2,000 attendees in front of the European Parliament Office in Barcelona, on Passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona. The two detainees were moved on a pre-trial basis to Shikma Prison in Ashkelon, legally assisted by Adalah and accused of collaborating with Hamas due to their links to the PCPE.

On May 10, both Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Ávila were released and deported from Israel. The Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, confirmed the release of the Spanish activist and stated that he "is now flying freely back to Spain."