Three activists detained during a humanitarian mission to the Gaza Strip have claimed they were sexually and physically abused by Israeli soldiers. The allegations were made at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday. The Israeli Embassy has denied the claims.
The three activists, South Korean nationals Kim Ah-hyun and Kim Dong-hyeon along with Korean American Jonathan Victor Lee, spoke at a press conference after returning home last week. They said men were tortured with Tasers and women were sexually harassed and assaulted. One sailor was shot in the thigh and left untreated, while the container holding them was full of people with broken bones who received no medical care.
Kim Dong-hyeon described hearing sounds of torture and persistent sexual abuse. Lee said many were forced to watch peers being assaulted and suffered injuries from flashbangs and beanbag rounds. He claimed a broken rib and electric shocks. Im Sang-hyuk, head of Green Hospital, said medical exams found rhabdomyolysis in Kim Dong-hyeon, a perforated eardrum in Kim Ah-hyun, and a broken rib plus Taser mark in Lee.
The Israeli Embassy in Seoul rejected the allegations as groundless. It called the activists law violators who joined the flotilla to demonize Israel. Kim Ah-hyun, previously detained in October, said she is scheduled to meet lawyers and foreign ministry officials Tuesday before applying for a new passport.
