The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail with humanitarian aid bound for Gaza and was boarded by Israel‘s forces in the Mediterranean, arrived this weekend in the Marmaris district of the Turkish province of Muğla, on the Aegean coast, to undergo technical maintenance and restocking in Turkey before continuing on to the Palestinian enclave.
The expedition, which departed from Barcelona on April 15 with nearly 300 activists from various countries and consisted of 38 vessels, docked at the Turkish port of Marmaris on the night of May 9, according to the Turkish news agency DHA. Early in the morning, under controlled conditions, entry procedures into Türkiye began for the activists arriving from the Greek island of Crete, while extensive preparations were underway to organize all legal and medical processes.
Israeli forces boarded the Sumud Flotilla during the night of April 29. The convoy’s organizers have reported that their equipment was destroyed and claim that Israel’s intervention left them facing what they described as a “death trap at sea” deliberately calculated by Israeli commandos.
Prosecutors open an investigation into Israel’s boarding in international waters
The Office of the Chief State Prosecutor in Marmaris has opened an investigation following the boarding, which also includes the alleged deprivation of liberty of Turkish citizens, with charges including accusations of “kidnapping or seizure of means of transport,” “aggravated robbery,” “property damage,” and “torture and ill-treatment.”
Following the prosecutor’s office’s instructions, statements were taken from the returning Turkish citizens and a thorough collection of evidence was conducted; in addition, a temporary police station was set up in the port area to expedite procedures, while health and security measures were reinforced. As part of the investigation, forensic specialists, psychiatrists, and clinicians will conduct examinations, and, if deemed necessary, samples will be collected for toxicological analysis. The reports prepared will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office to be included in the case file.
For their part, leaders of the Global Sumud Flotilla in Turkey have stated that, despite the boarding by Israel and the risks of the journey, they intend to continue their humanitarian mission “with determination,” and have announced that the flotilla is scheduled to set sail again on May 13 for Gaza.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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