SEPANG: Nine Malaysian activists participating in the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Thousand Madleens to Gaza humanitarian mission have safely returned home this afternoon.
They departed Istanbul aboard Turkish Airlines flight TK60 at 1.40 am on Sunday and arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 4.01 pm.
Their return was greeted by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Zulkifli Hasan.
Family members and supporters had been patiently waiting at the KLIA arrival hall to welcome the activists home.
The FFC x TMTG humanitarian mission involved about 150 activists from 25 countries aboard nine vessels including the Conscience and Umm Saad.
Israeli forces intercepted the vessels less than 120 nautical miles from Gaza last Wednesday before towing them to Ashdod Port.
The activists were subsequently transferred to Ketziot Prison in Negev, Israel, following their detention.
Eight Malaysians were on board the Conscience vessel including Malaysian delegation head Prof Emeritus Dr Mohd Alauddin Mohd Ali.
Other Malaysians on the Conscience included Dr Fauziah Mohd Hassan, Dr Hafiz Sulaiman, and Dr Ili Syakira Mohd Suhaimi.
Prof Dr Mohd Afandi Salleh, Dr Noorhasyimah Ismail, Norsham Abu Bakar, and Astro Awani journalist Syafik Shukri Abdul Jalil completed the Conscience contingent.
Medical doctor Dr Maziah Muhammad was the sole Malaysian representative aboard the Umm Saad vessel.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim strongly condemned the interception of the FFC mission on October 8 at 10.50 am Malaysian time.
He described the Israeli military’s actions as provocative acts violating international law.
The Prime Minister stated that detaining ships carrying aid for Gaza’s people was inhumane and contravened fundamental human rights principles.
Wisma Putra immediately contacted Türkiye and United States Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau to expedite the activists’ release.
The nine Malaysian activists were successfully released on October 10 and flown out of Israel aboard Turkish Airlines flight TK6921.
They arrived in Istanbul at 2.30 pm local time before continuing their journey back to Malaysia.
Humanitarian Care Malaysia chief executive officer Kamarul Zaman Shaharul Anwar confirmed Anwar’s contact with Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding the release efforts.
Diplomatic efforts were intensively carried out to arrange the safe repatriation of all detained Malaysian activists.
Türkiye had previously assisted Malaysia in repatriating 23 activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla mission who faced similar detention.
Those activists were also detained by Israeli forces after their vessel was intercepted in Mediterranean Sea Red Zone waters.
This successful repatriation marks another chapter in Malaysia’s ongoing humanitarian missions to Gaza. – Bernama
