Argentine journalists detained in Benghazi, Libya

María Paula "Pili" Giménez, a psychologist, and Lucas Ezequiel Aguilera, a veterinarian, both Argentine journalists, were seized by forces of eastern Libya while traveling with a humanitarian convoy bound for Gaza. The pair, part of the Global Sumud Maghreb caravan, were stopped near Sirte and taken to a police custody facility in Benghazi after Libyan authorities said they entered a security zone without the required permits.

The Argentine foreign ministry confirmed it is pursuing diplomatic channels, but it has no information on when the journalists might be released. Argentina lacks a diplomatic mission in Libya, so the effort is being coordinated through its embassy in Tunisia and Italian officials in Benghazi. The Italian consul visited two Italian members of the convoy but was not allowed to see the Argentines. Both governments have called for proof of life, consular access, and humanitarian assistance for the detainees, while working with the United Nations and the Red Cross. No official details on the health or conditions of Giménez and Aguilera have been released.