Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday that the activists aboard the Gaza aid flotilla “arrived under the guise of humanitarian assistance,” but their actions showed otherwise.
“Their conduct, refusal of Israel’s, Italy’s, and Greece’s offers to deliver aid peacefully, and the small amount of aid they actually carried, prove their true goal was provocation in service of Hamas—not humanitarian aid,” the ministry said in a statement.
Israeli Shayetet 13 navy commandos seize the last boat in the flotilla
The ministry added that Israel seeks to expedite the deportation of all flotilla participants but that “some are deliberately obstructing the legal process and choosing to delay their departure.” Several foreign governments, it said, have been reluctant to receive their citizens. “All participants in this public relations stunt will be deported as quickly as possible,” the statement added.
More than 450 activists were detained for taking part in the flotilla, which sought to reach Gaza by sea. According to Reuters, the deported group included 36 Turkish and 26 Italian nationals, along with citizens from other Arab and European countries. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said 15 additional Italians remain in Israel and are expected to be expelled next week.
Some detainees alleged they were “violently detained” and forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for hours, Reuters reported. Adalah, an Israeli legal aid group representing several of the activists, said some were denied access to lawyers, water, and medication.
The Foreign Ministry rejected the allegations, saying all detainees were “safe and in good health” and that Israel was working to complete deportations “as soon as possible.”
The individuals include 36 Turkish nationals, as well as citizens from the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia and Jordan, ministry sources added.