LONDON: The Australian captain of a Gaza aid flotilla ship has been moved from an Israeli prison four days after her vessel was intercepted in international waters.
Madeleine Habib was taken Sunday morning to the border with Jordan along with other activists from the flotilla, The Guardian reported.
Habib, who captained the ship Conscience, was detained on Wednesday along with more than 140 activists when their nine ships were intercepted by the Israeli military.
Known as the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Thousand Madleens to Gaza, the vessels were attempting to break Israel’s blockade of the territory.
Habib, from Tasmania, was taken along with other activists to Israel’s high-security Ketziot prison in the Negev desert.
Reports said she had refused to sign a waiver that acknowledged she had sought to illegally break Israel’s naval blockade.
Australian consular officials who visited her were told she would stay in Israel “indefinitely” unless she signed the document.
Habib previously told Australian officials that she had experienced “degradation but no physical abuse” in custody.
An Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it had raised the treatment of Australians detained in Israel with Israeli officials.
A spokesperson said: “For some time, we have warned against attempts to breach the naval blockade and strongly advised Australians not to do so because of the risks to their safety. We repeat our call on Israel to enable the sustained, unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
Another flotilla of more than 40 ships was intercepted by Israel as it tried to reach Gaza earlier this month.
At least 470 people were arrested, including the Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. Most were released in the days that followed, with many claiming they were mistreated.
Habib’s ship Conscience left from Italy in early October carrying 100 volunteers and aid supplies for Gaza, where Israel’s two-year military campaign has killed nearly 68,000 people and led to famine.
A ceasefire pushed through by US President Donald Trump took effect on Friday, with the release of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners expected on Sunday.
