Israel Deports Detained Gaza Aid Activists After Outcry

Israel has begun deporting around 430 Gaza-bound flotilla activists after releasing them from Ktziot prison in southern Israel, following an international outcry over their treatment at the hands of Israeli police.

The activists, who were detained after the Israeli navy intercepted their protest flotilla in international waters on Tuesday, will be flown out via Ramon airport near Eilat on the Red Sea.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed his country was conducting special flights to bring Turkish citizens and third-country participants to Turkey. Those on board the flotilla included citizens of Spain, South Korea, Ireland and Italy among others.

The deportations follow a chaotic and controversial detention that drew condemnation from world leaders.

Videos circulated widely showing Israeli police forcing the activists to kneel on the ground in rows with their hands tied behind their backs while far-right Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir looked on. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later distanced himself from the scenes, instructing that the activists be deported as quickly as possible.

The international reaction was swift and sharp, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described Ben-Gvir’s conduct as “inadmissible,” said Italy would summon the Israeli ambassador and demanded an apology.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, whose citizens were also among those detained, called Israel’s actions “way out of line,” questioning the legal basis for arresting people in international waters.

Israeli rights group Adalah, which has been representing the detained activists, confirmed the releases and said its legal team had been monitoring conditions inside the prison throughout the week.

The group had earlier reported that dozens of activists, many of them Tunisian, were on hunger strike, with some refusing water until medical treatment was provided to all detainees.

The flotilla, organised by the Turkish aid group IHH and carrying over 50 boats, had set sail from southern Turkey with the aim of breaking Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and delivering humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged territory.

Israel intercepted the convoy in international waters, hundreds of miles from Gaza’s coastline, citing the need to prevent a breach of what it describes as a lawful naval blockade.

The United States separately imposed sanctions on four activists involved in organising flotilla missions, including Spanish-Palestinian national Saif Abu Keshek, who had been detained during a previous flotilla interception last month before being deported.