Israel Deports 137 Activists After Intercepting Gaza-Bound Flotilla
Israel has expelled 137 foreign nationals detained earlier this week after naval forces intercepted a flotilla attempting to breach its blockade of Gaza, officials said Saturday. The deported activists were citizens of 14 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, and Turkey. Four Italian citizens had already been deported on Friday.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said those expelled were transferred to Turkey and described them as “provocateurs” taking part in a politically motivated stunt. About 470 people were detained when dozens of vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) were stopped by the Israeli navy before reaching Gaza. Israel said the flotilla violated its lawful naval blockade and entered an active combat zone.
The first vessels were intercepted Wednesday in international waters roughly 70 nautical miles off Gaza. Video from the boats showed nighttime scenes of the ships continuing toward the enclave despite repeated warnings. Israeli officials said the navy had ordered the vessels to change course before boarding and detaining passengers.
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“Israel is keen to end this procedure as quickly as possible,” the Foreign Ministry said Friday, noting that all detainees were in good health. The ministry’s earlier statement also confirmed the presence of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on one of the boats but did not elaborate on her status.
In contrast, the GSF accused Israeli forces of “illegally intercepting” its 42 vessels, each of which it claimed carried humanitarian aid and volunteers. The group said the last boat, the Marinette, was stopped Friday morning approximately 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza. “This is an illegal attack on unarmed humanitarians,” the organization said, calling on governments to demand the release of those detained.
The flotilla, which began its voyage from Spain late last month and was joined by other boats from Tunisia and additional ports, has drawn global attention. Protests supporting the flotilla and condemning Israel’s actions were reported in cities across Spain, Italy, Colombia, and Argentina.
Several of the seized boats are currently docked at the Ashdod Naval Base, according to maritime tracking data. The Israel Defense Forces have not commented on whether the vessels will be returned to their owners.
