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The Global Sumud Fleet's Türkiye Delegation announced Thursday that 38 confirmed Turkish activists have been illegally detained by Israeli forces during the attack on the humanitarian convoy bound for Gaza, while Israel declared its "intervention" against the flotilla complete.
Global Sumud Fleet believes most of the vessels have been intercepted by the Israeli military, with the lead ship Mikeno now approximately 11 nautical miles (21 kilometers) from Gaza, significantly closer than earlier reports indicated.
The fleet's website livestreamed footage showing armed Israeli soldiers boarding the Captain Nikos vessel after detaining activists aboard.
Among those detained from the Sirius were Abdulaziz Yalcin, Davut Daskiran, Zeynep Dilek Tekocak, and Aycin Kantoglu.
The TR1 Austral had the largest group with eight detained activists, including Ikbal Gurpinar, Said Ercan, Muhammet E. Isik, Haci Durak, Bekir Develi, Erdem Ozveren, Enes Harman, and Sait Karahasan.
Additional detainees were identified from vessels, including the Florida-A, Alma, Spectre, and other ships in the flotilla.
Fleet spokesperson Saif Abukeshek confirmed that the detained activists represent 35 nationalities, including 30 Spanish, 22 Italian, 21 Turkish, 12 Malaysian, 11 Tunisian, 11 Brazilian, 10 French, nine Irish, eight Algerian, seven American, seven German, and six British citizens, among others from countries spanning five continents.
The delegation's press unit confirmed to state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) that 38 Turkish activists have been verified as detained by Israeli forces, with potentially 47 total Turkish nationals affected when including nine individuals with whom contact has been lost.
The detained Turkish activists were identified across multiple vessels, including the Sirius, Huga-A, TR1 Austral, Florida-A, Alma, Spectre, Mali/Deir Yassine-A, Grande Blu, Morgana, Seulle-A, and Captain Nikos-A.
The Israeli forces detained a total of 223 international activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid convoy, organizers said.
The flotilla shared on the U.S. social media company Instagram the names and nationalities of 223 activists aboard the vessels that were attacked.
The Türkiye delegation identified the detained Turkish nationals across eight vessels:
From the Sirius: Aycin Kantoglu, Abdulaziz Yalcin, Davut Daskiran, and Zeynep Tekocak
From the Alma: Metehan Sari, Huseyin Suayb Ordu, Onur Murat Kolgu, Semih Fener, Osman Cetinkaya, and Sumeyra Akdeniz Ordu
From the Spectre: Bekir Turunc, Abdulmecid Bagcivan, Mustafa Muhammed Cakmakci, Mesut Cakar, and Muslim Ziyali
Additional detainees were reported from the Huga, Deir Yassine, Grande Blue, Morgana, and Seulle vessels.
"Despite all interventions, the fleet continues to advance toward Gaza. The fleet's purpose is entirely to deliver humanitarian aid and to act in accordance with international law," the Türkiye delegation stated in their announcement.
The delegation condemned Israel's actions as "a serious violation of international law and maritime security," emphasizing that the Sumud Fleet "set out with a completely humanitarian aid purpose."
The intercepted vessels include the Alma, Sirius, Adara, Spectre, Yulara, Aurora, Otaria, Huga, Deir Yessine, Grande Blu, Morgana, Hio, Seulle, All In, Captain Nikos, Florida, Karma, Mohammad Bhar, and Oxygono.
Before the interception, detained Turkish activist Yasar Yavuz told state-run Anadolu Agency (AA): "Even if Israel intervenes, even if they block our way, we will go to Gaza. I don't mean this in terms of violence. We have already undertaken a non-violent mission. We are unarmed, we are not going to any war. As the Sumud Fleet, we are a mission that set out to break a blockade."
Abukeshek described the operation as "the birth of a global movement working together in all fields against all forms of oppression," noting public demonstrations in support of the fleet's mission.
The delegation called for the immediate release of all detained activists.
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