Israel deports two activists detained for leading an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, according to multiple reports. The two were detained by Israeli authorities for just over a week after they were taken from the Gaza-bound flotilla, which aimed to challenge or bypass Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. After their detention period in Israel, the activists are released and deported on Sunday, as reported by outlets including PBS NewsHour, AP (cited by Stuff.co.nz), and others.
Different coverage describes the detentions in slightly different ways, including references to when the activists were taken from the flotilla and held in Israel. Al Jazeera reports the pair were taken by Israeli forces in late April and held in Israel, while other outlets describe their detention as lasting slightly over a week before deportation. At least one rights group is cited by Daily Sabah in connection with the activists’ detention and release. Across sources, the central points remain consistent: the activists are foreign nationals, they are associated with an aid flotilla attempting to reach Gaza by sea, they are detained by Israel for over a week, and they are ultimately released and deported.
