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International activists who arrived successful Istanbul aft being deported from Israel pursuing the military's interception of their Gaza-bound flotilla said connected Saturday (October 5, 2025) they had been subjected to unit and "treated similar animals".
The Global Sumud Flotilla acceptable sail past period seeking to ferry assistance to war-battered Gaza but Israel blocked the boats, detaining much than 400 radical whom it began deporting connected Friday.
Of that number, 137 activists from 13 countries flew into Istanbul connected Saturday (October 5, 2025), among them 36 Turkish nationals.
Also Read | Rallies against Israel interception of Gaza flotilla expanse Europe
"We were intercepted by a immense fig of subject vessels," Paolo Romano, a determination councillor from Lombardy successful Italy, told AFP at Istanbul airport.
"Some boats were besides deed by h2o cannon. All of the boats were taken by precise heavy equipped radical and brought to shore," the 29-year-old said.
"They enactment america connected our knees, facing down. And if we moved, they deed us. They were laughing astatine us, insulting america and hitting us," helium said.
"They were utilizing some intelligence and carnal violence."
Among those connected committee the flotilla, which counted immoderate 45 vessels, were politicians and activists, including Swedish clime campaigner Greta Thunberg.
Mr. Romano said they tried to unit them to admit they had entered Israel illegally. "But we ne'er entered Israel illegally. We were successful planetary waters and it was our close to beryllium there."
On landing, they were taken to a situation and held determination without being allowed retired and were not fixed bottled water, helium said. "They were opening the doorway during the nighttime and shouting astatine america with guns to scare us," helium said. "We were treated similar animals."
'Worst experience'
Iylia Balqis, a 28-year-old activistic from Malaysia, said Israel's interception of the boats was "the worst experience".
"We were handcuffed (with hands down our backs), we couldn't walk, immoderate of america were made to prevarication look down connected the ground, and past we were denied water, and immoderate of america were denied medicine," she said.
The activists were flown to Istanbul connected a specially-chartered Turkish Airlines plane.
In a station connected X, the Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed "137 much provocateurs of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla were deported contiguous to Turkey".
Relatives of the Turkish activists could beryllium seen awaiting their accomplishment astatine the VIP lounge wrong Istanbul airport, waving Turkish and Palestinian flags and chanting "Israel murderer".
The Turkish activists were to acquisition aesculapian checks connected accomplishment and would look successful tribunal connected Sunday to springiness testimony, their lawyers said.
Turkiye has denounced Israel's interception of the flotilla arsenic "an enactment of terrorism", saying connected Thursday it had opened an investigation.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan praised the activists arsenic "brave individuals who gave dependable to humanity's conscience" successful a station connected X and said Ankara would guarantee each of its nationals were brought back, without giving an wide number.
Italian writer Lorenzo D'Agostino, who was connected committee the flotilla to screen its mission, said they "were kidnapped successful planetary waters erstwhile we were 55 miles (88 kilometres) from Gaza".
"It was 2 hellish days that we spent successful prison. We are retired present acknowledgment to the unit of the planetary nationalist that supports Palestine," helium said.
"I truly anticipation this concern ends soon due to the fact that it has been barbaric the mode we person been treated." Libyan activistic Malik Qutait said helium was not acrophobic and vowed to support trying to scope Gaza.
"I volition cod my group, put medicine, assistance and a vessel and I volition effort again," helium said.
