The deportation of activists who participated in the international humanitarian aid mission to Gaza that was violently intercepted after intervention by Israel’s naval forces off Cyprus, is expected to begin in a few hours, following global outcry over the conditions under which they were arrested and detained.
Gaza flotilla: Deportation of 460 activists begins
According to STAR’s information from the families of the 19 arrested Greeks, their deportation begins immediately, in the coming hours, if it hasn’t already started. As they denounce, they were initially held in “floating prisons,” then transferred to the port of Ashdod in Israel and subsequently will be flown to Istanbul. From there they will travel by bus to Alexandroupoli and then by air to Athens.
The deportation of the 19 Greeks, as well as the remaining activists – 460 in total – from countries around the world, comes after global outcry over their detention conditions.
Activist’s mother: “They put their bodies on the line for freedom and justice”
The mother of one of the activists detained in Israel spoke to Star, Dimitris Bitoulas-Kourousi, 23 years old, as did Plutarchos Vergis, friend of those arrested and former flotilla member.
“Like everyone else, they decided to go there knowing all the dangers they would face, it’s a matter of values, their faith in justice, in freedom and that we cannot sit and simply watch all this happen without doing absolutely nothing. So they decided to put their bodies on the line and start this journey, which was violently interrupted,” says Emmanouela Kourousi, activist’s mother.
“We will try again to reach Gaza”
For his part, Mr. Vergis says: “When we say arrest, we’re talking about something that has to do with law. The real word that describes Israel’s actions is piracy and kidnapping. We will continue trying to break the blockade and I assure you that one day we will succeed.”
