All Australian citizens who took part in the international Sumud flotilla and were later detained by Israeli authorities have returned home, Reuters reported, citing the Australian organizers of the flotilla.
Of the 430 participants in the flotilla, 11 are Australian citizens. Australian activists interviewed by the agency complained of harsh treatment by Israeli law enforcement during their arrest. Israeli authorities have denied similar complaints from flotilla participants from other countries. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized the actions of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who published footage of the brutal arrest of the activists.
On the evening of May 19, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced that all vessels of the latest Sumud flotilla heading towards the coast of the Gaza Strip had been intercepted and a total of 430 pro-Palestinian activists had been detained.
The current operation “Global Sumud flotilla“ began in April. The participants said their goal was to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza and establish a permanent humanitarian sea corridor. On May 18, the Israeli news channel Ynet reported that the Israel Defense Forces had begun intercepting the flotilla's vessels in international waters hundreds of kilometers from the Israeli coast.