Gaza-bound aid flotilla intercepted by Israel docks in Marmaris for maintenance as Turkish prosecutors launch investigation into the attack.
MUGLA: The Global Sumud Flotilla, which had set sail to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza but was intercepted by Israel in the Mediterranean Sea, arrived in the Marmaris district of Türkiye’s southwestern Mugla province for technical maintenance and resupply.
Entry procedures for activists aboard the vessels docking one by one at Marmaris Port are underway, Anadolu Ajansi reported.
The Gaza-bound aid flotilla, which departed from Barcelona, Spain, on April 15 and carried nearly 300 activists from various countries, consisted of 38 boats that anchored at the port late at night.
As of the morning hours, entry procedures for activists arriving from the Greek island of Crete have been initiated in a controlled manner, while comprehensive preparations for legal and medical processes have been completed in the district.
Prosecutor launches ex officio investigation
The Marmaris Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an ex officio investigation into the attack and the detention of Turkish citizens on charges including “deprivation of liberty”, “hijacking and detention of means of transportation”, “aggravated looting”, “damage to property”, and “ill-treatment”.
In line with the prosecutor’s instructions, statements from returning citizens are being collected and evidence gathering has begun.
A temporary police post has been set up at the port area to expedite the investigation and entry procedures, while authorities said all measures have been taken to ensure the safety and basic needs of the arrivals.
Medical screenings by expert teams
Necessary arrangements have been completed at Marmaris State Hospital under the coordination of the deputy head of the Forensic Medicine Institute, while expert academics and physicians from Türkiye’s Denizli, Istanbul, and Mugla provinces have arrived in the district.
Forensic medicine specialists, psychiatrists, and clinical physicians will conduct examinations, and samples may be taken for toxicological analysis if deemed necessary.
The reports to be prepared will be submitted to the prosecutor’s office to be included in the investigation file.
Officials from Global Sumud Türkiye said the humanitarian mission will continue, adding that the flotilla is planned to set sail again on Wednesday.
The Global Sumud Flotilla 2026 Spring Mission, aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip and delivering vital humanitarian aid, was intercepted by the Israeli army off the coast of Crete on April 29.
The aid flotilla was attacked on April 30, near Crete, some 600 nautical miles from its destination, the blockade-ravaged enclave of Gaza.
The flotilla’s first ships, carrying humanitarian aid, left Barcelona on April 12, while the main fleet set sail from the Italian island of Sicily on April 26, aiming to break Israel’s years-long blockade of Gaza.
Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million people on the verge of starvation.
The Israeli army launched a brutal two-year offensive on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 people, injuring over 172,000, and causing massive destruction across the besieged territory.
