3 Foreign Activists on Gaza Aid Ship Agree to Immediate Deportation: Legal Center

Tel Aviv, MINA – Three foreign activists detained aboard a Gaza-bound aid ship seized by Israeli forces have agreed to be deported, according to the Adalah Legal Center, Anadolu Agency reported.

The center identified the activists as Antonio Mazzeo from Italy, Gabrielle Cathala from France, and Jacob Berger from the United States. All three consented to immediate deportation and are expected to leave Israel within hours.

The activists were among 21 individuals on the Handala, a ship launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which was intercepted by Israeli naval forces in international waters near Gaza on Saturday night. The vessel was towed to Ashdod Port in southern Israel.

According to Adalah, 15 activists refused to sign deportation papers and will remain in detention pending tribunal proceedings. These include nationals from Australia, France, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Norway, the UK, and the US.

Also Read: Seven Die in Gaza from Starvation and Malnutrition in 24 Hours

Two dual US-Israeli citizens, Huwaida Arraf and Bob Suberi, were released after police interrogation and are now with Adalah’s legal team.

The center also reported that it has yet to meet with four detainees: French activist Ange Sahuquet, dual US-French citizen Dr. Frank Romano, Moroccan journalist Mohamed El-Bakkali from Al Jazeera, and US-Iraqi cameraman Waad Al Musa.

The Handala set sail from Italy to challenge Israel’s months-long siege of Gaza, where the population of 2.4 million faces famine and mass suffering. Israel has intercepted several aid ships in recent months, including the Madleen in June, which carried Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan, and the MV Conscience, which was targeted by drones in May.

The Israeli blockade on Gaza has lasted 18 years, with all crossings completely shut since March 2. Aid convoys remain blocked despite widespread international calls to open humanitarian access.

Also Read: Israeli Forces Kill Two Aid Seekers in Southern Gaza, Casualties Mount

The ongoing Israeli military aggression on Gaza, launched on October 7, 2023, has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

Also Read: Israeli Settlers Expand Illegal Outposts in West Bank Amid Surge in Violence