Activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla detained by Israel at sea have been released from prison and are expected to be deported to Türkiye, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The group was detained at a port in southern Israel after the Israeli navy intercepted their flotilla in international waters. Organisers said the mission aimed to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian aid, which they argue remains insufficient despite a ceasefire brokered in October 2025.
Previous flotilla attempts have also been intercepted by Israel, including one involving Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, with participants later deported.
According to the Israeli rights organisation Adalah, around 430 activists have now been released from detention facilities in southern Israel and will be flown out via Ramon Airport near Eilat.
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said special flights were being arranged to bring Turkish nationals, along with participants from other countries, back to Türkiye. Spanish officials also confirmed that dozens of Spanish citizens were expected to leave Israel later in the day.
The activists’ treatment has prompted international criticism after videos shared by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir appeared to show detainees being restrained and mocked. In one clip, an activist chanting “Free, free Palestine” is seen being forced to the ground, while others appear kneeling with their hands bound.
Transport Minister Miri Regev also posted footage from Ashdod port, describing the activists as supporters of terrorism who had attempted to breach the blockade of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Ben-Gvir’s conduct did not reflect Israel’s values, while U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said it had “undermined the dignity” of the country.
The incident has prompted several countries, including France, Canada, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, to summon Israeli ambassadors for explanations.
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that, regardless of views on the flotilla, those involved should be treated with respect and released without delay.
Canada and Spain have previously imposed sanctions on Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians.
The controversy comes amid heightened political tension in Israel, with the government moving closer to a possible snap election after an initial parliamentary vote to dissolve the Knesset.
Analysts say any upcoming election could be heavily shaped by public sentiment following the aftermath of the October 2023 Hamas attacks and the subsequent military campaign in Gaza.
The 81st UN General Assembly returns for its third day in New York on Thursday, with world leaders delivering high-level speeches and holding diplo...
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As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York on Wednesday, as Washington pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine and Kyiv and Moscow continue to strike energy infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump is addressing the UN General Assembly as world leaders gather in New York for the 81st session. Conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and diplomacy set to dominate the event.
U.S. President Donald Trump said his team held a three-hour meeting with an Iranian delegation in New York that he described as “very good” and “productive”, with another round of talks scheduled soon.
The 81st UN General Assembly continues in New York on Wednesday, with another day of high-level speeches and diplomatic meetings. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
The 81st UN General Assembly returns for its third day in New York on Thursday, with world leaders delivering high-level speeches and holding diplomatic meetings. Restoring trust, managing global transformation, peace and security, and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
Australia says an OpenAI AI agent gained unauthorised access to a government Medicare statistics portal in June, in what officials say could be an unprecedented case of an AI system breaching a government network.
Pakistan says it carried out air strikes on 10 locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, targeting sites it said were used to store and launch drones, as tensions between the two neighbouring countries continued to escalate.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 24 September 2026, with five key developments from the second day of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
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