ISTANBUL, Turkiye: Israel said on Thursday it had deported all foreign activists detained from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, after international condemnation over their mistreatment in custody.
The foreign ministry said all detainees had been deported from the country following their interception at sea earlier this week.
“Israel will not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza,” foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said.
The deportations came after more than 430 activists were detained when Israeli naval forces intercepted vessels attempting to reach Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla and Freedom Flotilla Coalition missions.
Israeli authorities said the activists were held at Ktziot prison in southern Israel before being transferred for deportation via Ramon Airport.
The legal rights group Adalah said it had received confirmation from Israeli authorities that detainees had been released and were being moved for deportation.
Adalah said the majority of participants were transferred to Ramon Airport for flights out of the country.
One organiser, Thiago Ávila of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, said on social media that participants were expected to arrive in Istanbul later in the day.
Zohar, one of our participants of the last flotilla mission is FREE! All the other are arriving here to Istanbul at 18pm! The world mobilization is working! Keep talking about Gaza and showing solidarity with Palestine! pic.twitter.com/WXxHwGPuh1
— Thiago Ávila (@thiagoavilabr) May 21, 2026
Saad Edhi, son of Pakistani social worker Faisal Edhi and grandson of late humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi, was also among those detained.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office earlier said Saad Edhi was among humanitarian activists held after the interception and condemned the “unlawful interception” of the flotilla in international waters.
Mistreatment of flotilla activists
Adalah said some flotilla activists faced court hearings without legal assistance, while others received limited access to lawyers.
Adalah legal director Suhad Bishara said at least two participants had been hospitalised after being injured during detention, including injuries from rubber bullets.
She said others feared broken ribs.
Alessandro Mantovani, an Italian journalist who was deported, said activists were “taken to Ben Gurion airport in handcuffs and with chains on our feet” before being flown to Athens.
“They beat us up. They kicked us and punched us and shouted ‘Welcome to Israel’,” he said.
Italian MP Dario Carotenuto, also detained, described the experience as “really tough”, saying detainees were called by number and faced armed guards.
International outcry over mistreatment of activists
The detention and mistreatment of activists sparked criticism from several governments.
Britain’s foreign ministry said footage released from detention “violates the most basic standards of respect and dignity for people”.
Poland’s foreign minister called for sanctions against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also condemned what he described as “despicable actions” by Ben Gvir.
The controversy followed a video posted by Ben Gvir showing detained activists with their hands tied and heads down.
Flotilla mission and Gaza blockade
Around 50 vessels participated in the flotilla, which set sail from Turkiye last week in an attempt to break Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza, in place since 2007.
It was the latest in a series of attempts to deliver aid to the enclave, following earlier interceptions of similar missions.
Activists and rights groups argue that the Israeli blockade restricts humanitarian access to Gaza.
The Gaza Strip has faced severe shortages of food, medicine and essential supplies since the start of the Israeli bombardment campaign on October 7, 2023.
Turkiye said it had dispatched aircraft to repatriate its citizens and other participants from Ramon Airport.
Officials said three flights were sent to transport more than 400 passengers.
Adalah said activists from Egypt were transferred to the Taba border crossing, while Jordanian nationals were moved to Aqaba.
