British Muslim activist Zak Khan says he was shot in the leg and violently assaulted by Israeli occupation forces after the interception of a Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla attempting to challenge the blockade on Gaza.

Khan, a Green Party member from Hampshire, was among around 180 international activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted by Israeli occupation forces in international waters last week.

Speaking to 5Pillars following his release, Khan said he was held for three days in Israeli detention, where he was beaten and mistreated. “I was shot in the leg by the IDF,” he said, describing repeated assaults during his detention. He also alleged that detainees were denied proper food, water and sleep while being interrogated.

According to Khan, activists aboard the flotilla had been attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and draw attention to Israel’s ongoing siege and war on the besieged enclave.

The flotilla interception has drawn condemnation from pro-Palestine groups and rights advocates, who accused Israel of unlawfully seizing civilians in international waters and using excessive force against solidarity activists.