ISTANBUL: Activists detained following an Israeli interception of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla in the Mediterranean have arrived in Türkiye after a Turkish Airlines flight carrying 59 passengers from multiple countries, including 18 Turkish nationals, landed at Istanbul Airport late Friday.
Following the reception, the activists are expected to undergo medical examinations at the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute as part of an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
According to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, two Turkish nationals who were unable to board the flight due to medical checks are also expected to return to Türkiye on Saturday.
At least 31 activists were injured during Israel’s illegal attack of the Global Sumud Flotilla, organisers said, adding that crew members were subjected to ill-treatment for nearly 40 hours.
“Participants were punched, kicked, and dragged across the deck with their hands bound… pic.twitter.com/iG7p7SkhfE
— TRT World (@trtworld) May 2, 2026
The flight carried 59 activists, including 18 Turkish nationals, as well as citizens of the United States (4), Argentina (5), Australia (2), Bahrain (1), Brazil (2), the United Kingdom (6), the Netherlands (1), Spain (3), Italy (2), Malaysia (10), Mexico (1), Pakistan (1), Chile (1) and New Zealand (2).
The Global Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla was attacked on Thursday near Crete, some 600 nautical miles from its destination, the blockade-ravaged enclave of Gaza Strip.
The flotilla’s first ships, carrying humanitarian aid, left Barcelona on April 12, while the main fleet set sail from the Italian island of Sicily on April 26, aiming to break Israel‘s years-long blockade of Gaza.
Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million people on the verge of starvation.
The Israeli army launched a two-year offensive on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 people, injuring over 172,000, and causing massive destruction across the besieged territory.
