223 international activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla have been detained by Israeli forces in international waters, sparking widespread condemnation and global protests.
According to reports, 223 activists from over 40 countries were held after Israeli naval units intercepted 13 vessels, including the Alma, Sirius, and Morgana. Several activists remain unnamed due to communication blackouts imposed during and after the operation.
The detainees were transferred to Ashdod port and are currently awaiting deportation proceedings, though delays are expected due to the Yom Kippur holiday.
National Breakdown of Detainees
-
Spain: 31, including Barcelona’s former mayor Ada Colau
-
Italy: 22, including environmental figures Benedetta Scuderi and Annalisa Corrado
-
Turkey: 21, including activist Abdulaziz Yalçın
-
Malaysia: 13, including artists Zizi Kirana and Heliza Helmi
-
Other countries with significant detainees include Brazil, France, and the United States, with several public figures among those arrested.
Global Reaction
Governments, rights groups, and solidarity movements have denounced the detentions as a violation of international law. Protests have broken out in several countries, demanding the immediate release of the activists and calling attention to the flotilla’s mission of solidarity with Palestinians under blockade.
