Plane carrying Freedom Flotilla activists lands in Istanbul

By Gokhan Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) - A Turkish Airlines flight carrying pro-Palestinian activists detained by Israel after an attack on the Freedom Flotilla arrived in Istanbul on Friday.

The flight, which departed from Jordan on a special mission to evacuate the activists, landed at Istanbul Airport.

A total of 94 activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition were on board, including 18 Turkish nationals and 76 foreign citizens.

They were greeted at the airport by their families, officials, and a large number of people.

On the apron, the activists were welcomed with flowers by Hasan Turan, head of the Türkiye-Palestine Interparliamentary Friendship Group; AK Party Istanbul deputy Abdullah Ozdemir, head of the AK Party Istanbul branch; and Turkish Airlines officials.

After the welcome, the activists were escorted by bus to the airport exit.

Israeli naval forces attacked and seized more than 40 boats last week that were part of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla and detained over 450 activists who were on board. Most of them have been since been deported. Many told hair-raising stories of abuse at the hands of their Israeli captors.