BEERSHEVA, Israel – An Israeli court on May 6 rejected an appeal contesting the detention of two foreign activists seized by Israeli forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, with the rights group representing them denouncing the ruling as “unlawful”.

Mr Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national of Palestinian origin, and Brazilian Thiago Avila were among dozens of activists aboard a flotilla intercepted in international waters off the coast of Greece on April 30.

The two were seized by Israeli forces and brought to Israel for questioning, while the others were taken to the Greek island of Crete and released.

On May 5, an Israeli court extended their detention until May 10 to allow police more time to interrogate them, according to their lawyers.

The lawyers then filed an appeal at the Beersheva district court against the detention, but it was rejected.

“Today, the district court of Beersheva denied our appeal and basically accepted all of the arguments that the state or the police have represented before the court and kept the previous decision,” lawyer Hadeel Abu Salih said.