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15 Turkish activists detained by Israel after an attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters arrived in Istanbul on Tuesday evening, reuniting with family members at the city's main airport.
The Turkish Airlines flight from Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, departed at 4:35 p.m. local time and landed at Istanbul Airport at 6:50 p.m. The activists were greeted by relatives, officials and numerous citizens at the airport's VIP lounge.
The Turkish nationals were among 131 activists who crossed from the occupied West Bank into Jordan earlier Tuesday morning after being unlawfully detained by Israeli forces.
The Global Sumud Flotilla had been attempting to break Israel's blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza when it approached Gazantine waters on the evening of Oct. 1.
Israeli military forces intercepted the convoy, seizing 42 vessels and detaining hundreds of international activists aboard. The detainees were transported to Ketziot Prison in southern Israel.
The flotilla represents the largest collective effort to date aimed at delivering humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus acknowledged the activists' return in a statement on social media. "Fourteen more of our citizens who were detained by Zionist Israel for taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla have safely reached Türkiye," Kurtulmus wrote. "We thank each hero of the humanity front fighting for Gaza and justice."
Israel maintains a naval blockade of Gaza, which it says is necessary for security reasons. International aid groups have repeatedly sought to challenge the blockade, arguing that it restricts the flow of essential supplies to Gaza's population.
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