Turkey announces the completion of the evacuation of 422 volunteers of the "Steadfastness Flotilla" from Israel

Turkey announced the completion of the evacuation of 422 volunteers participating in the "Global Resilience Flotilla", after Israeli forces detained them in international waters while they were on a humanitarian mission embodied in breaking the blockade on the Gaza Strip.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday,  May 21, in a statement published on the "In Social" platform, that it supervised, in cooperation with Turkish institutions and organizations, to coordinate the urgent and safe transfer of volunteers to Turkey, explaining that the operation was carried out through 3 planes allocated by Turkish Airlines.

The ministry published the details of the evacuation operation, explaining that the total number is 422 volunteers: 85 Turkish citizens and 337 foreigners from 41 countries, who were transferred from Ramon Airport in Israel to  Istanbul International Airport.

Ankara: We stand firmly with Turks everywhere

Deputy Foreign Minister Hacıli Özal  received the Turkish activists upon their arrival at Istanbul airport, the ministry said, stressing that Ankara will continue to stand firmly by the side of its citizens everywhere. 

The ministry said the activists will undergo medical examinations at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Istanbul, as part of an investigation opened by the Public Prosecution into the conditions of their detention and the treatment they were subjected to.

With this announcement, Turkey has ended one of the largest mass evacuations associated with the "Steadfastness Flotilla", affirming its continued support for humanitarian initiatives aimed at breaking the blockade on Gaza and delivering aid to the Palestinians.

Israel Announces the Detention of 430 Activists from the "Resilience Flotilla"

  Israeli authorities announced  on Wednesday night that 430 activists on board an aid flotilla heading to Gaza were on their way to Israel, after their ships were intercepted at sea the previous day off the coast of Cyprus.

"Another flotilla has come to an end, and all 430 activists have been transferred to Israeli ships and are on their way to Israel where they will be able to meet with their consular representatives," an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday confirmed the interception of the boats, calling it "the foiling of a hostile plot" and told the Israeli navy commander overseeing the interception, according to a statement from his office attached to an excerpt from the conversation: "I think you are doing an exceptional job (...) Keep going until the end."

Huqooq Center: Documenting sexual insults and electric shocks

The Arab Center for Human Rights Adalah in Israel reported documenting acts of extreme violence, "sexual insults," electric shocks and breaking ribs against detainees of the "Steadfastness Flotilla" activists by Israeli forces.

According to the testimonies of the flotilla activists, "they were subjected to severe insults, harassment and humiliation of a sexual nature, and the Israeli authorities forcibly removed the hijab from participants," according to PCHR.

The Global Resilience Flotilla is the third initiative in a year aimed at breaking Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has been suffering from severe shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023.