Aussie activists detained by Israel arrive in Turkey
Australian activists detained in Israel while trying to bring aid to Gaza were deported to Türkiye following a “shameful” video in which an Israeli minister mocked the detainees.
428 Global Sumud Flotilla participants, including 11 Australians, were released overnight after being stopped at gunpoint by Israeli forces in international waters on Tuesday.
In the statement made by the squadron’s Australian unit, it was stated that the members were subjected to forensic examination at a hospital in Istanbul and that they would meet with lawyers to document their experiences.
They will then return to Australia in the coming days.
Federal Minister Tanya Plibersek confirmed that Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials were providing assistance to Australians in the fleet who were in Türkiye.
“(DFAT) is providing the usual consular assistance and I hope they will return home safely,” he told ABC Radio on Friday.
“There are currently 11 Australians in Istanbul receiving assistance from our Australian officials.”
Their release followed the condemnation of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was seen in a video belittling activists in the flotilla.
The video sparked a public rebuke from Foreign Secretary Penny Wong and Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, being summoned to DFAT to “please explain”.
Ms Plibersek said the Israeli minister’s actions were shameful.
“This was absolutely disgraceful behavior and I am very pleased to say that the foreign minister said this to the Israeli government in the strongest terms,” he said.
“Our Australian ambassador in Israel has made it clear that this behavior by the Australian government is acceptable, completely unacceptable.”
Mr Newman said the activists were “absolutely safe” and had access to consular officials while in custody.
“No one is getting hurt… it was very sensitive dealing with them,” he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.
But Zack Schofield, one of the Australians in the squadron, said many in the group had been mistreated in prison.
“Many of us haven’t eaten for days. We haven’t had water for two days,” he said in a statement.
“I have friends who were shocked for a long time with stun guns and stun guns as soon as they entered the prison.”
Greens senator Nick McKim said the federal government needed to take stronger action.
“This requires the strongest possible response from our prime minister and our foreign minister, a much, much stronger response than they have offered to date,” he told ABC Radio.
“This is disgusting treatment of people by a high-ranking official of the Israeli government. People are humiliated, their human rights are violated. This is actually a form of torture.”
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