Sumud Flotilla activists land in Istanbul

Anadolu Agency

Fifteen Turkish activists, who were unlawfully detained by Israel aboard the Gaza-bound Global Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla, arrived at Istanbul Airport on Tuesday.

The activists departed from Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, at 4:35 pm local time on a Turkish Airlines flight, landing in Istanbul at 6:50 pm. They were welcomed at the airport’s VIP lounge by their families, officials, and numerous citizens.

Earlier on Tuesday, the activists crossed from the Israeli-occupied West Bank into Jordan via the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge before returning to Turkey. They had been held at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel and were transported to the border in prison transfer vehicles.

Last Wednesday, Israeli naval forces attacked the Global Sumud flotilla, seizing the vessels and detaining more than 470 activists from over 50 countries. The flotilla had been attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and challenge Israel’s blockade of the enclave.

Israel has maintained its blockade on Gaza, home to nearly 2.4 million people, for almost 18 years. Since October 2023, Israeli bombardments have killed over 67,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, leaving the area virtually uninhabitable.

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