File photo for representational purposes only.
Istanbul: A total of 137 activists, including 36 Turkish nationals who had been detained by Israel for taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla, an aid mission bound for Gaza, were flown to Türkiye on Saturday.
The Turkish Airlines flight carrying the activists departed from Ramon Airport in Israel's southern city of Eilat and landed at Istanbul Airport at 350 p.m. local time (1250 GMT), where they were received by officials and a large crowd.
According to the state-run TRT broadcaster, the activists will undergo health checks and will also be taken to the Istanbul Police Department to give statements as part of an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the detention of Turkish citizens in international waters following Israel's interception of the flotilla.
Foreign ministry sources confirmed that among those returning were citizens of the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia, and Jordan.
The flotilla -- comprising 42 vessels and more than 400 volunteers from over 40 countries -- set sail in August to challenge Israel's naval blockade of Gaza and deliver vital humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies.
However, Israeli forces intercepted all the vessels in international waters.
