A group of Turkish activists who were unlawfully detained by Israel after its assault on the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla were released on Tuesday and arrived at the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge crossing between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jordan to return home.
The activists, held at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, were brought to the border in prison transfer vehicles under Israeli escort.
Their release follows days of diplomatic efforts by Ankara to secure the safe return of Turkish nationals detained in the flotilla raid.
Attack on international waters
Israeli naval forces attacked and seized vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters beginning on Wednesday, detaining more than 470 activists from over 50 countries.
The convoy, comprising dozens of vessels, aimed to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and challenge Israel’s nearly 18-year blockade of the enclave.
The flotilla’s seizure has drawn widespread international condemnation, with human rights groups calling it a violation of maritime law.
Israel’s blockade has left Gaza’s 2.4 million residents in dire conditions.
Since October 2023, Israeli bombardments have killed more than 67,100 Palestinians — most of them women and children — and devastated nearly all of the enclave’s infrastructure, rendering it uninhabitable.
