The Foreign Ministry of Israel reported that 137 people from 14 countries, detained in the Sumud Flotilla boats that intended to arrive in Gaza, were deported on Saturday to Turkey.
These are citizens of the United States, Italy, United Kingdom, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Algeria, Mauritania, Malaysia, Bahrain, Morocco, Switzerland, Tunisia and Turkey, the ministry said in a statement.
In its note, the folder indicates that Israel wants to accelerate the deportation of detainees in the boats approached by their authorities in international waters, but that some “are deliberately obstructing the legal process of deportation, preferring to remain in Israel.”
He adds that “several foreign governments,” without detailing which “have been reluctant to accept flights” that take them back to their countries.
The Chancellery points out that all detainees in what it classifies as a “advertising coup” will be deported “as soon as possible.”
According to the Italian government, 26 of its citizens traveled on this flight, which took place from Ramon airport, located in the Neguev Desert, as well as the prison to which the pelotilha detainees were taken after being transferred to the Israeli Porto Porto.
The lawyers of the Flotilha Legal Team in Israel, represented by the Israeli NGO Adalah, informed the EFE agency that on Saturday continues the arrest of the hundreds of people who were arrested (about 450, according to some sources) to extend their detention until the deportation.
The detainees have two possibilities after reaching Israeli territory: consenting to their immediate deportation or not. In the first case, the procedures are quick and they can be deported by the Israeli authorities without more formalities, but in the second, a judge must decide on deportation, which makes the process longer.
The more than 40 boats participating in the Sumud flotilha were approached by the Israeli authorities from the night of last Wednesday and for 12 hours, when all were detained and transferred to the Israeli Port.
Activists, politicians, and journalists were preparing to reach the coast of the Gaza Strip to bring humanitarian aid to the Enclave, which has been blocking the entry of assistance by Israel after almost two years of offensive, which has left more than 67,000 dead by Israeli fire.
See also:
- Europe is hit by violent pro-passage protests after Israel intercepts flotilla with Greta
- After being intercepted, flotilla with Greta says he will continue actions “until Palestine is free”
