Turkey says 36 citizens detained by Israel from Gaza-bound flotilla to return home

Turkey announced on Saturday that 36 of its citizens detained aboard Gaza-bound aid flotilla vessels intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters are expected to return home via a special flight.

Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said on X that the number may still change, with procedures for the remaining citizens being finalised “as soon as possible so that they can come to Turkey”.

He added that nationals from other countries were also due to be on board the same flight.

Turkey has condemned the interception, describing it as “an act of terrorism”. On Thursday, it also confirmed the launch of an investigation after Israeli forces arrested Turkish citizens travelling on the flotilla.

Israel deports first activists from Gaza aid flotilla

Israel on Friday deported four Italian activists, the first of hundreds detained from an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, shortly after the interception of the group’s final boat brought an end to its mission.

The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail last month, ferrying politicians and activists, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, towards Gaza, where the United Nations says famine is taking hold.

The Israeli navy began intercepting the boats on Wednesday, and an Israeli official said the following day that boats carrying more than 400 people had been prevented from reaching the Palestinian territory.

The military said Friday that the navy had stopped all 42 of the fleet’s vessels “in an operation that lasted approximately 12 hours”, and transferred flotilla members to Israel’s Ashdod Port for processing by police.

Israel’s foreign ministry said it deported four Italian activists who were aboard the flotilla, adding that “the rest are in the process of being deported”.

Israeli police said “more than 470 flotilla participants were taken into custody by the military police, subjected to rigorous screening, and transferred to the prison administration”.

Authorities earlier said that none of the vessels had breached the maritime blockade of Gaza.

“Marinette, the last remaining boat of the Global Sumud Flotilla, was intercepted at 10:29 am (0729 GMT) local time, approximately 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza,” the flotilla’s organisers said on Telegram.

They added that Israeli naval forces had “illegally intercepted all 42 of our vessels — each carrying humanitarian aid, volunteers, and the determination to break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza”.

Among those detained were more than 20 journalists, according to media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), including reporters from Spain’s El Pais, Qatar’s Al Jazeera, and Italy’s public broadcaster RAI.