The Ashkelon Magistrate’s Court approved a two-day extension to the detention of two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla who were brought to Israel for questioning, a rights group representing them told AFP on Sunday.

The activists, Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila, were among more than 170 detained by Israel last week when the flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli Navy in international waters. The remainder were all freed on Friday in Greece, while Abu Keshek and Avila were brought to Israel on suspicion of ties to a group the US says acts on behalf of the terror group Hamas.

“The court extended their detention by two days,” said Miriam Azem, international advocacy coordinator at the rights group Adalah, of Abu Keshek and Avila.

Israeli authorities had asked to extend their detention by four days, Azem said earlier.

Spain’s foreign ministry called for the “immediate release” of Spanish-Palestinian activist Abu Keshek.

“The government of Spain demands his immediate release,” the ministry said in a comment sent to AFP, adding that the Spanish consul in Tel Aviv accompanied Abu Keshek, who is being “illegally detained,” to the hearing.

In a separate statement, Adalah said the state attorney had presented a list of suspected offenses committed by the pair, including “assisting the enemy during wartime” and “membership in and providing services to a terrorist organization.”

Adalah challenged the state’s jurisdiction, arguing that........

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