GSF: Ardell Aryana recounts abuse during Israeli detention

The Zionist regime had also threatened to kill her children if she did not comply during detention.

07 Oct 2025 10:17am

Ardell shared the terrifying moment when her hijab was pulled so hard that strands of her hair were torn out, accompanied by mocking cheers from Israeli soldiers intended to humiliate her. Photo: Astro AWANI

ISTANBUL - Malaysian humanitarian activist Ardell Aryana has shared her harrowing experience of abuse at the hands of Israeli soldiers during her detention under the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) mission to Gaza.

She described it as an ordeal that left her both physically injured and emotionally scarred.

Following her release, Ardell revealed that she was physically assaulted while in detention, suffering torn shoulder muscles, bruises on her face and having clumps of her hair forcibly pulled out.

“During my consultation with the doctor earlier, the doctor confirmed that the soft tissue in my shoulder was torn, my face was bruised and my hair was pulled,” she said.

A boat from the Global Sumud Flotilla intercepted by Israeli forces off the Gaza coast is escorted to the Israeli port of Ashdod on Oct 2. - Photo by Saeed Qaq/AFP

Her medical report, she added, will be brought back to Malaysia to be properly documented and submitted to her lawyers and the Sumud Nusantara Operation Centre for further legal action.

Recalling the horrifying moment, Ardell said her hijab was violently pulled by soldiers amid mocking cheers meant to humiliate her.

“I do not understand why I was targeted, but perhaps it is because I was the most active in doing live streams and my SOS live was followed by many,” she said.

In a shocking revelation, Ardell shared that the Zionist regime had also threatened to kill her children if she did not comply during detention.

Ardell and 22 other humanitarian activists were safely flown to Istanbul on Saturday through a special flight arranged by the Turkish and Malaysian governments. - AWANI