We are often quick to complain when people do wrong, yet slow to say “thank you” when people do extraordinarily good. Today, I want to give credit where it is due by shedding light on Zohar Regev, the former Israeli hostage, for her sacrifices and long history of defending the people of Palestine. No, she was not held captive in Gaza, but rather in Israel just 10 days ago. In my view, this Israeli woman has a heart of gold. Here is why.
Who Is Zohar Regev?
She was born and raised in the Israeli kibbutz Kfar HaHoresh—established on land in historic Palestine near Nazareth—into a secular Jewish family. She grew up inside the very system that took Palestinian land and continues, as of this writing, the genocide in Gaza. For most of her life, she was an atheist who never believed in Judaism as a religion.
Later, she moved to Nazareth and lived among Palestinians, where she witnessed firsthand the harsh treatment they endured under occupation.
Two and a half years later, she made the conscious and entirely voluntary decision to embrace Islam. From that moment on, she dedicated her life to defending the truth with every ounce of strength she possessed.
In 2004, at the age of 34, she left Israel and spent 14 years in Spain before moving to Germany. Since 2008, she has been an unceasing voice in every flotilla dedicated to breaking the siege on Gaza. Just imagine: a Jewish woman—born among Israelis, holding their citizenship and passport—who abandoned every luxury, high income, and comfort of life; who left behind the playgrounds of her youth and her friends; and who emigrated simply because she refused to live in a land she believed was not her own.
She was the only woman on the flotilla who still held Israeli citizenship. She was detained by Israeli authorities and later released under conditions that included a personal bond and a 60‑day ban from entering Gaza. Her case raised concerns about the treatment of activists involved in humanitarian efforts and the implications of selective prosecution amid the ongoing blockade.
Special Privileges
After Israeli forces kidnapped 430 Sumud Flotilla activists in international waters near Cyprus on May 18, 2026, they held them for 96 hours. During that time, the detainees were taunted by the widely publicized visit of National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir. Israel ultimately expelled them to Turkey after facing an international PR disaster. Their only “crime” was attempting to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid to starving civilians.
Israeli officials, however, handled Regev’s case separately from the other flotilla detainees. She was brought before a judge at the Ashkelon Magistrate’s Court on suspicion of infiltration offenses, obstruction of an investigation, and endangering public security. She was released on May 21 on a personal bond of 5,000 shekels ($1,700) and banned from entering Gaza for 60 days. That is absurd, since no one is allowed to enter or leave Gaza anyway.
Adalah human rights lawyer Hadeel Abu Salih, who represented Regev, argued that the activist’s detention “was totally illegal and carried out without legal authority,” which she said should invalidate the state’s request to impose restrictive conditions.
An Adalah attorney who met and defended Regev said the charges against her were “absurd,” noting that she was being held for offenses including “illegal entry into Israel,” “unlawful stay,” and attempting to break the blockade on Gaza. It is ironic that Israel now labels Gaza a “military zone” rather than an occupied territory under blockade. Meanwhile, many Israelis have been caught by the IDF trying to enter Gaza and faced no consequences. Is there a law in “the only democracy in the Middle East” that allows this double standard?
The explanation is bizarre. Regev holds both Israeli and German citizenship. How could she “enter Israel illegally”? Secondly, “unlawful stay” applies to someone who enters a country illegally—not to someone who was forcefully abducted in international waters and brought into Israeli territory entirely against her will.
Why I Took Interest in Her Story
I became interested in Zohar Regev when I learned she was the only flotilla activist with Israeli citizenship. Driven by curiosity, I spent a sleepless night wondering what would prompt an Israeli woman to give everything—since 2004—to fight the occupation and the injustice faced by Palestinians. I discovered that she was born in a kibbutz in occupied Palestine and thus held an Israeli passport.
Regev has coordinated the Spanish branch of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Rumbo a Gaza. She owned the women’s boat Zaytouna‑Oliva—which was confiscated in 2016—and played a leadership role aboard the vessel Al‑Awda during the 2018 flotilla. She later participated aboard the Handala and in the “Global Resilience Flotilla.”
In October 2025—following the illegal boarding of the flotilla in international waters—she was abducted and detained at the Shikma detention center in Ashkelon, a facility described by human rights organizations as a torture center. She refused to sign a confession and went on a hunger strike before being released.
Speaking of her efforts to provide aid, she stated: “Our resistance is non‑violent. Our insistence on continuing to reach Gaza is not merely the repetition of a failed attempt; rather, it is a determination not to tolerate occupation, genocide, evil, or destruction.”
Last week, as the world watched the “Flotilla of Steadfastness,” Regev—now 55 years old—stood at the vanguard of the ships, just as she had on every previous occasion. Unlike her foreign companions, who were simply deported, she was taken to court in Ashkelon on charges of “treason”—because she was an Israeli who dared to expose the truth.
She stood in the dock with the towering dignity of someone who has nothing left to lose. A woman who sacrificed her family and homeland for the sake of her humanity will not be shaken by prison bars. She was spat on, called a whore and a traitor. When a guard ordered her to remove her hijab, she refused—so the guard cut it off with scissors. Shamefully, despite her German citizenship, the German press barely mentioned her name.
A Woman With a Golden Heart
In truth, Zohar Regev is not merely an activist; she is living proof that righteousness is not defined by one’s birth. She has a heart the size of Texas. I would even call Zohar Regev a woman with a golden heart.
Excellent and funny summery of the story of Zohar Regev with audio track in English is available.
https://youtube.com/shorts/rigEqjeARHY?si=m9T5-95q3suhnd_y
Mahmoud El‑Yousseph is a Palestinian freelance writer and retired U.S. Air Force veteran. He writes on U.S. foreign policy, Middle East affairs, and justice. Email: elyousseph6@yahoo.com