Turkey says citizens from Gaza aid flotilla to return on special flight Saturday

Thirty-six Turkish nationals aboard vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was seized by “Israeli forces”, are expected to return to Turkey on a special flight on Saturday afternoon, the Turkish foreign ministry said.

Citizens of other countries are also expected to be on board the flight, it added.

“The final number has not yet been confirmed,” the ministry said in a statement.

The plane, operated by Turkish Airlines, is expected to land at Istanbul Airport sometime after 1430 local time (1130 GMT), the ministry said.

Work was also under way to complete procedures for remaining Turkish citizens as soon as possible, it said.

Separately, New York City witnessed a massive protest on Friday demanding the immediate release of the approximately 500 activists intercepted off the coast of Gaza by the Zionist occupation forces as part of the Freedom Flotilla.

Protesters held up signs calling for the freedom of the activists, emphasizing that their mission was purely peaceful and humanitarian, aimed at breaking the ongoing blockade of more than two million Palestinians in the Strip.

Participants in the protest affirmed their full solidarity with the detained activists, calling on the international community to urgently intervene to ensure their safety and immediate release.