American Journalist Reveals Israeli Guards of "Extreme Brutality" and Threats of Rape to Her
American journalist Noa Avishag Schnall has said she faced "extreme brutality" at the hands of Israeli guards, including beatings and "threats of rape." Schnall, a Los Angeles-born photojournalist, was reporting from the flotilla for Drop Site News. She covered the Gaza aid fleet.
In a video uploaded on social media, Schnall recounted the "extreme brutality" she endured during her captivity. On October 13, 2025, the journalist accused Israeli guards of treating her and other prisoners with "extreme brutality," including beatings and "threats of rape." This occurred after they were taken through international waters by Israeli forces while aboard the Conscience Freedom flotilla.
Schnall, seen in the video with a black eye and bruises on Wednesday, said, "Our boat, Conscience, was attacked in international waters at around 5 a.m." The female journalist continued:
The brutality began immediately. We were taken through multiple layers of administration and strip-searched multiple times. At least one woman reported that guards physically assaulted her, laughing at her pain. Several flotilla members reported that guards stole their valuables during bag searches. All of us were forced to the ground with our hands held in a tension position behind our backs, many were bound with zip-ties, and then we were divided into groups of men and women and blindfolded. Many of the 150 flotilla members, including me, were subjected to extreme brutality during their imprisonment.
🚢 Journalist Noa Avishag Schnall (@noavi) shares a video update from aboard the Conscience, one of 11 boats in the Freedom Flotilla / Thousand Madleens mission sailing toward Gaza. Her ship carries more than 90 people, largely medics and journalists — groups that have been… pic.twitter.com/Gf18pYPswD
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) October 4, 2025
Schnall accused Israeli prison guards of beating her and other flotilla members and blocking her breathing tube.
"Any flotilla member who disturbed the Israeli guards was handcuffed and bound tightly, and some were beaten," the American journalist said. "I was hung by metal shackles at my wrists and ankles, and a group of male and female guards beat me in the stomach, back, face, ears, and scalp, one of whom sat on my neck and face, blocking my breathing."
Schnall added, "Many comrades, of course, do not want to be identified, describing this behavior. In the evenings, the men were harassed by guards with attack dogs and guns. The women were threatened with pepper spray. We were awakened in our cells by threats of rape."
