4 flotilla activists deported, others being processed: Israel
Israel’s Foreign Ministry says it deported four Italian citizens who joined the Global Sumud Flotilla and is preparing to deport the remaining activists.
“Israel is keen to end this procedure as quickly as possible,” the ministry said in a post on X. It claimed all 461 of the detained activists are “safe and in good health”.
Earlier, the Global Sumud Flotilla called on Israel to release all its activists, several of whom have entered “an open-ended hunger strike” since being seized.
The group pledged the seizures would not mark the end of their mission. “Our determination to confront Israel’s atrocities and stand with the Palestinian people remains unshaken,” it said.
Flotilla activists detained in Ktziot prison, infamous for rights violations
Ktziot prison, where the flotilla activists are being held before deportation, has been widely criticised by rights groups for its conditions.
Located in the Negev desert in southern Israel, Ktziot has long had a reputation for harsh treatment.
In a 2025 report titled Welcome to Hell, the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem documented the cases of 12 Palestinians held there. It cited a lack of food and water, severe beatings and incidents of sexual abuse among the abuses faced by prisoners.
Ultra orthodox Israeli protester breaks Gaza’s siege
In the last few hours, the Global Sumud Flotilla posted footage of a young Israeli, Itamar Greenberg, attempting to enter Gaza in protest against his country’s war.
In his post, Greenberg, who comes from an ultra-Orthodox family, wrote: “Right now: breaking the siege. We are literally in Gaza!”
