Turkey says 137 Gaza flotilla activists to arrive in Istanbul

People stitchery successful beforehand of the Israel consulate during a protestation against the interception of the Gaza-bound Sumud flotilla by Israeli navy forces, successful Istanbul, Oct 2. [AP]

Some 137 activists detained by Israel for taking portion successful a flotilla seeking to present assistance to Gaza are being flown to Istanbul, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said connected Saturday.

The individuals see 36 Turkish nationals, arsenic well arsenic citizens from the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia and Jordan, ministry sources added.

The Turkish Airlines formation is expected to onshore sometime aft 3.40 p.m. section clip (1240 GMT), the ministry said.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said 26 Italians were connected board, with different 15 still held successful Israel and acceptable to beryllium expelled adjacent week – on with activists from different nations.

Israel has faced planetary condemnation aft its subject intercepted each of astir 40 boats successful a flotilla carrying assistance to Gaza and detained much than 450 activists.

“I person erstwhile again fixed instructions to the Italian Embassy successful Tel Aviv to guarantee that the remaining compatriots are treated with respect for their rights,” Tajani wrote connected X.

A archetypal radical of Italians from the flotilla – 4 parliamentarians – arrived successful Rome connected Friday.

“Those who were acting legally were the radical aboard those boats; those who acted illegally were those who prevented them from reaching Gaza”, Arturo Scotto, 1 of the Italian lawmakers who took portion successful the mission, told a property league successful Rome.

“We were brutally stopped … brutally taken hostage”, said Benedetta Scuderi, different Italian parliamentarian.

Israel’s overseas ministry wrote connected X that each detained activists were “safe and successful bully health”, adding it was keen to implicit the deportations “as rapidly arsenic possible.”

According to Adalah, an Israeli radical offering ineligible assistance to flotilla members, some of them were denied entree to lawyers, and denied entree to water and medications, arsenic well arsenic the use of toilets.

Activists were besides “forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for astatine slightest 5 hours, aft some participants chanted ‘Free Palestine,'” Adalah said.

Israel’s overseas ministry did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

The flotilla, which acceptable sail successful precocious August, marked the latest effort by activists to situation the Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian enclave Gaza, where Israel has been waging a war since Palestinian militant radical Hamas’ deadly onslaught connected Israel successful October 2023.

Israeli officials repeatedly denounced the ngo arsenic a stunt and warned it against violating a “lawful naval blockade.” [Reuters]