Dr Margaret Connolly, one of the Irish citizens who was detained by Israeli Soldiers when the flotilla was intercepted along international waters this week, has said they were weld as a "horror of a concentration camp".
Dr Connolly, sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly, was among one of the 14 Irish citizens and 430 activists who were detained in Israel, after the flotilla was intercepted at Sea earlier this week, which was attempting to deliver aid to Gaza, breaking the blockade of the Palestinian territory.
Footage of their detention circulated online, showing people kneeling with hands tied behind their back in tightly packed groups. This footage has been widely condemned by senior Irish politicians and across the EU.
Speaking about her ordeal, Dr Margaret Connolly claimed she and other activists were "kidnapped and abducted" and "held against our will on a warship".
"My colleagues experienced 35 fractures, five head injuries," she said. "There was 15 sexual assaults, eye injuries, ear injuries. A huge number of laser injuries. People experienced broken feet. There was bullets shot at people's feet".
Dr Connolly said that a large number of people have suffered injured backs and shoulders following this ordeal.
"We were all bent down like hogs and kept in this position for hours", she said, before adding that those who suffered such injuries had fractures and "screamed and howled in pain all night long".
She continued: "I want to tell you, what I saw ... people in agony, people freezing and cold with hypothermia, no clothes, drenched clothes".
Dr Connolly further claimed that when they asked for water, they were refused, and for food, she said that "disgusting" break rolls were thrown at them. She added that they were not even provided with toilet paper, or medicines, while women were even denied sanitary towels.
Dr Connolly explained that guns were also pointed at the activists by guards, who stared down at them "like we were filth".
"We were not allowed to look up. We stared at the ground the whole time. They kicked you if you looked up", she said. "We were not human to them".
"I want to just say, if they do this to Europeans in international waters, how dare they".
Dr Connolly went on to criticise a vote in the Dáil earlier this week, against legislation imposing sanctions against Israel.
"How dare the Irish Government allow this to happen," she said. "How dare they vote no to sanctions? It is utterly barbaric".
Another Irish citizen who was on board, Tom Deasy, said there is a huge feeling of relief for those onboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, but also a "realisation of what has happened".
"Trying to put it into words is probably impossible. We knew there were risks going into it. We knew we would likely face the IOF but the sheer brutality that we witnessed was something that I never thought in my life that I, or anyone I knew, would be put into that position", he said.
The Irish citizens who were detained, have arrived home at Dublin Airport, where they were greeted with cheers in the terminal by friends and family.
It was also reported that hundreds people gathered at the airport to welcome them home, as well as sing pro Palestinian songs, and wave flags and banners.
