Pro-Palestinian demonstrators march during the protest on the Milan’s highway against the interception by Israeli army of the Global Sumud Flotilla Friday.
In a statement, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the safety of its citizens involved in the mission and is working to secure their safe return.
The ministry also called for ensuring the security of all participants
in the flotilla and stressed the importance of upholding international and humanitarian law.
Kuwait renewed its call on the international community to take responsibility and exert pressure on Israel to halt its ongoing violations of international law and human rights principles.
Oman affirmed that it is following closely the situation of the Omani citizens participating in the flotilla, and reaffirmed its concern for their safety in preparation for their safe return home. It is working actively, through its partners and networks, to ensure the security of the citizens and their safe return to Oman.
In a statement by the Omani Foreign Ministry, Oman called for safeguarding all participants in the convoy and ensuring they are not exposed to any risks.
Oman renewed its call on the international community to assume its legal and humanitarian responsibilities, to pressure the occupation forces to halt their repeated violations, and to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip without obstruction.
Meanwhile, Israel on Friday deported four Italian activists, the first of hundreds detained from an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, shortly after the interception of the group’s final boat brought an end to its mission.
The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail last month, ferrying politicians and activists including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg towards Gaza, where the UN says famine is taking hold.
The Israeli navy began intercepting the boats on Wednesday. The military said yesterdat that the navy had stopped all 42 of the fleet’s vessels “in an operation that lasted approximately 12 hours”, and transferred flotilla members to Israel’s Ashdod Port for processing by police.
Israel’s foreign ministry said it deported four Italian activists who were aboard the flotilla, adding that “the rest are in the process of being deported”.
Israeli police said “more than 470 flotilla participants were taken into custody by the military police, subjected to rigorous screening, and transferred to the prison administration”.
Authorities earlier said that none of the vessels had breached the maritime blockade of Gaza.
“Marinette, the last remaining boat of the Global Sumud Flotilla, was intercepted at 10:29am (0729 GMT) local time, approximately 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza,” the flotilla’s organisers said on Telegram.
They added that Israeli naval forces had “illegally intercepted all 42 of our vessels — each carrying humanitarian aid, volunteers, and the determination to break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza”.
Among those detained were more than 20 journalists, according to media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), including reporters from Spain’s El Pais, Qatar’s Al Jazeera and Italy’s public broadcaster RAI.
“Arresting journalists and preventing them from doing their work is a serious violation of the right to inform and be informed,” said Martin Roux, head of RSF’s crisis desk.
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