Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Brazilian activist Thiago Avila has accused Israeli forces of rape, torture, and severe abuse against detained Gaza flotilla activists following the interception of a humanitarian aid convoy headed toward Gaza. In a video statement shared on X, Avila said activists detained aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla were subjected to violence and sexual assault while being transferred by Israeli forces after the flotilla was intercepted in international waters. &quot;There is no easy way to say it, but I have to say people got raped,&quot; Avila said in the video. &quot;Those monstrous soldiers, they raped participants. It was not one, not two, not three, it&#39;s many cases of sexual violence against our participants.&quot; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2057570882483003746&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6b8d496f192b105f528ac21c5fc5e495293e4a34&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> &quot;Many people with broken ribs, many people with broken bones, the arms, the collar bones,&quot; he said, describing Israeli authorities as &quot;a genocidal state that takes pleasure in violence.&quot; Activists describe tortureBelgian activist Julien Cabral said the activists were beaten, restrained and denied proper medical treatment during detention. Speaking after arriving in Istanbul, Cabral said Israeli forces boarded their vessel in international waters and used violence despite activists raising their hands, AFP reported. &quot;I took a punch to the left temple,&quot; he said, adding that detainees were transferred with plastic ties around their hands onto what he described as a &#39;prison ship&#39;. &quot;My hands were tied so long I almost vomited&quot;, one activist recounted. Avila also claimed that evidence and medical examinations were being collected for possible legal action before international courts, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). &quot;All the 428 people here are doing medical examinations. We are doing reports. This will all become legal cases,&quot; he said. &quot;This needs to go everywhere, don&#39;t let this be normalized.&quot; Some 430 activists from countries around the world had been placed in detention in Israel after they were intercepted at sea on Monday while making the latest in a string of attempts to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory, AFP reported. Human rights groups and UN experts have previously raised concerns over allegations of abuse and mistreatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody, although Israel has denied systematic abuse allegations. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2055435101484257411&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6b8d496f192b105f528ac21c5fc5e495293e4a34&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 878px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Israel&#39;s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir sparked widespread condemnation and diplomatic backlash on Wednesday by posting a video showing the detained activists with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground. Israel said on Thursday it had deported all the foreign activists seized by Israeli forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, following global outcry over their treatment in custody. Avila also referred to Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons, claiming conditions faced by flotilla activists represented &quot;only a small fraction&quot; of what Palestinians experience in detention.

A member of the Global Sumud Flotilla headed for Gaza and arrested and deported by Israel flashes the V-sign outside a terminal following their arrival at Istanbul Airport on May 21, 2026. (AFP)

Europe

Middle East

Activists deported after the interception of Gaza-bound aid vessels say detainees suffered violence, humiliation, and medical neglect while in Israeli custody; Brazilian activist Thiago Avila says evidence and medical examinations will be collected for possible legal action before international courts.

Gaza flotilla activists describe assault during Israeli detention, say ‘people were raped’

JERUSALEM: Israel said on Thursday it had deported all the foreign activists seized by its forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, as the first group arrived in Turkiye following global outcry over their treatment in custody. Hundreds of activists from countries around the world were placed in detention in Israel after they were intercepted at sea Monday while making the latest in a string of attempts to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory. Turkish foreign ministry sources said 422 activists, among them 85 Turkish nationals, were flown from southern Israel on three planes chartered by Ankara. A first group of arrivals were seen inside the VIP terminal at Istanbul airport, as a crowd of supporters carrying Palestinian flags gathered to welcome them, an AFP correspondent said. Israeli forces &quot;attacked us. Each of us was beaten, women and men ... It&#39;s what Palestinians experience all the time,&quot; said Turkish national Bulal Kitay, after he got off the plane. Israel&#39;s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir sparked widespread condemnation and a diplomatic backlash on Wednesday by posting a video showing the detained activists with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground. Israel&#39;s foreign ministry spokesman, Oren Marmorstein, said Thursday that &quot;all foreign activists from the PR flotilla have been deported from Israel. &quot;Israel will not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza,&quot; he added. Upon arrival at Istanbul airport, one of the activists shouted &quot;the Palestinian people are not alone!&quot; as he emerged from the terminal. &quot;We&#39;ve been tortured, we&#39;ve been beaten, we&#39;ve been arrested in international waters, but we won&#39;t give up. We will return. Palestine will be free from the river to the sea,&quot; he said to cheers from the crowd. The legal center representing the flotilla members said earlier on Thursday that the majority were &quot;en route for deportation&quot; from Ramon Airport in Israel&#39;s far south. Adalah said they had been held at Israel&#39;s Ktziot prison, in the Negev Desert near Gaza. A spokesman for Adalah said activists from Egypt had been transferred to Taba at Egypt&#39;s border with Israel, while those from Jordan had been transferred to Aqaba. Edhi arrives in Islamabad after released by Israel: foreign minister&nbsp;Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ishaq Dar, announced in &nbsp;a post on X that Saad Edhi, who was aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, was released after being illegally detained by Israeli occupation forces.&nbsp; &ldquo;He along with other detained humanitarian workers have safely arrived in Istanbul,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; FM Dar conveyed his gratitude to T&uuml;rkiye for ensuring his safe return to Istanbul.&nbsp; &ldquo;The detention of humanitarian workers, and their inhumane treatment by the occupying forces is deeply condemnable and totally unacceptable,&rdquo; he said. &#39;Inflammatory video&#39;&nbsp;Around 50 vessels under the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Turkiye last week in the latest attempt by activists to breach Israel&#39;s blockade of Gaza, after Israeli forces intercepted a previous convoy last month. The deportations come after footage posted by Ben Gvir, captioned &quot;Welcome to Israel&quot; and showing the minister heckling and waving an Israeli flag among the detained activists, sparked resounding condemnation by governments around the world, from Italy to Spain and Australia to Canada. He was also criticized at home by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, as well as by US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Italy and Spain have called on the European Union to sanction Ben Gvir, with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez calling the treatment of the activists &quot;unacceptable.&quot; In Ireland, a leaked letter revealed Prime Minister Micheal Martin urging the EU chief for &quot;further action&quot; against Israel over their treatment, including a ban on settlement goods and suspension &quot;of parts if not all&quot; of the EU&#39;s Association Agreement with Israel. The United Kingdom announced it had summoned Israel&#39;s most senior diplomat in Britain following &quot;the inflammatory video.&quot; &#39;They kicked us&#39;&nbsp;Adalah&#39;s legal director, Suhad Bishara, told AFP on Wednesday that the group&#39;s lawyers had given legal counsel to &quot;many&quot; of the activists, though she added others had faced court hearings without legal assistance. &quot;We know of at least two participants who were hospitalized ... both of them were shot by rubber bullets,&quot; Bishara said, adding that others said they feared they had broken ribs. Alessandro Mantovani, an Italian journalist detained with the flotilla activists and deported before the others, told reporters in Italy on Thursday that he and others were &quot;taken to Ben Gurion airport in handcuffs and with chains on our feet and put on a flight to Athens.&quot; &quot;They beat us up. They kicked us and punched us and shouted &#39;Welcome to Israel,&#39;&quot; he said of his treatment by Israeli security forces. Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, under blockade since 2007. Since the start of the Gaza war, the territory has suffered severe shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies, with Israel at times halting aid deliveries entirely.

Turkish foreign ministry sources say 422 activists, among them 85 Turkish nationals, were flown from southern Israel on three planes chartered by Ankara.

First Gaza flotilla activists arrive in Turkiye after Israel deportation

ASHDOD: Israel&#39;s far-right national security minister posted a video on Wednesday showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground, sparking international condemnation. The video, shared on X by firebrand minister Itamar Ben Gvir, was published after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla&#39;s vessels at sea and began detaining hundreds of foreign activists at the southern port of Ashdod. The video drew swift international uproar and Ben Gvir was criticized by Israel&#39;s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. Captioned &quot;Welcome to Israel,&quot; the footage shows dozens of activists forced to kneel with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground. At some points, the Israeli national anthem can be heard playing in the background. The footage also shows Ben Gvir heckling and waving an Israeli flag among the detained activists. Ben Gvir drew the ire of Netanyahu, who said the minister&#39;s conduct with the activists was &quot;not in line with Israel&#39;s values and norms,&quot; adding that authorities would deport the activists &quot;as soon as possible.&quot; US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee denounced what he said were the national security minister&#39;s &quot;despicable actions.&quot; &quot;Universal outrage and condemnation from every high-ranking Israeli official... for despicable actions by Ben Gvir. Flotilla was stupid stunt,&quot; Huckabee wrote on X. European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib also criticized Ben Gvir, saying on X that &quot;no one should be punished for defending humanity&quot; while Belgium and France summoned the Israeli ambassadors in their capitals over what Paris called his &quot;unacceptable actions.&quot; Around 50 vessels under the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Turkey last week in the latest attempt by activists to breach Israel&#39;s blockade of Gaza, after Israeli forces intercepted a previous convoy last month. Israeli authorities had said 430 activists aboard the flotilla were en route to Israel, while the Adalah rights group said some had already arrived at Ashdod port and were being held there. &#39;Disgraceful display&#39; Israel&#39;s foreign minister Saar said Ben Gvir had &quot;knowingly caused harm to our State in this disgraceful display &mdash; and not for the first time.&quot; Ben Gvir hit back, saying, &quot;I am proud to be the minister in charge of the organizations that operated today against those supporters of terror.&quot; &quot;Yes, there will be all sorts of pictures that Gideon Saar does not like, but I think they are a great source of pride,&quot; he added at parliament. Non-profit legal group Adalah also criticized Israeli authorities over the video. &quot;Israel is employing a criminal policy of abuse and humiliation against activists seeking to confront Israel&#39;s ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people,&quot; the group, whose lawyers went to the detention center to meet the detainees, said in a statement. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Poland and Turkey also condemned the incident with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney calling the treatment of civilians onboard the flotilla &quot;abominable&quot; and saying the Israeli ambassador would be summoned. Ireland&#39;s Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said she was &quot;appalled and shocked&quot; by the video and demanded the immediate release of the activists, who include the sister of President Catherine Connolly. &#39;Malicious scheme&#39;&nbsp;Netanyahu had earlier denounced the flotilla as &quot;a malicious scheme designed to break the blockade we have imposed on Hamas terrorists in Gaza.&quot; Hamas said the footage was evidence of Israeli leaders&#39; &quot;moral depravity and sadism.&quot; Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007. During the Gaza war, the territory suffered severe shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies, with Israel at times halting aid deliveries entirely. A previous flotilla attempt was intercepted last month in international waters off Greece, with most activists expelled to Europe. Two were brought to Israel, detained for several days and then deported.

The footage also shows Ben Gvir heckling and waving an Israeli flag among the detained activists; Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.

Israeli minister sparks outcry over video of bound flotilla activists

ISLAMABAD: Foreign ministers of ten countries across Europe, South America and Asia have strongly condemned renewed Israeli interceptions of the Global Sumud Flotilla and demanded the immediate release of detained activists.&nbsp;More than 50 boats departed last week from the Turkish port of Marmaris on a mission to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and draw attention to the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians, the Global Solidarity Flotilla said. The Israeli military intercepted several vessels off the coast of Cyprus on Monday.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 874px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2056577918520988130&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F5985%2F&sessionId=85363305a5447e1d6fe618b5ca1670f77e9231a8&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkiye, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Libya, the Maldives and Spain expressed &ldquo;serious concern&rdquo; for the safety and security of civilian participants and called for &ldquo;full respect&rdquo; for their rights and dignity.&nbsp;The ministers recalled previous Israeli interventions against flotillas in international waters and condemned continued &ldquo;hostile acts targeting civilian vessels and humanitarian activists.&rdquo;&nbsp;They said such actions &mdash; including attacks on vessels and the arbitrary detention of activists &mdash; amount to &ldquo;blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian law.&rdquo;&nbsp;The statement urged the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities to protect civilians and humanitarian missions, and to take concrete steps to end impunity and ensure accountability for these violations.&nbsp;&ldquo;We call for the immediate release of all detained activists and for unfettered respect for humanitarian efforts seeking to alleviate civilian suffering,&rdquo; the ministers said.

Asia

Ten countries of the world, including Pakistan, condemn the Israeli assaults against the Global Sumud Flotilla, a peaceful civilian humanitarian initiative aimed at drawing international attention to the catastrophic humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people.

Pakistan, 9 nations condemn Israeli interception of Gaza-bound global flotilla

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office on Monday expressed hope that former senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, detained by Israel last week, would be repatriated &ldquo;within the next couple of days.&rdquo; The former Senator was taken into custody after Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla of boats carrying aid for Gaza. He had led Pakistan&rsquo;s delegation in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), a 45-vessel convoy that set sail from Spain last month with activists and politicians &mdash; including Greta Thunberg &mdash; on board. The flotilla aimed to break Israel&rsquo;s blockade of Gaza, where the United Nations has warned of famine. &ldquo;The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, through its embassy in Amman, is working tirelessly to secure the safe evacuation of former senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan,&rdquo; the FO said in a statement. <div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1975095906069303412&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=e2b5995ff0af9d6e604688cf4e394311f26a77d5&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="width: 550px; height: 321px; min-height: 0px; position: static; visibility: visible;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div> &ldquo;With the invaluable assistance of the Jordanian government, we are hopeful that the process can be successfully concluded within the next couple of days.&rdquo; The FO also expressed &ldquo;deep gratitude&rdquo; to the &ldquo;brotherly government of Jordan&rdquo; for its &ldquo;exemplary cooperation and generous support.&rdquo;</div></div> On Sunday, the ministry said Khan would be presented before a court in Israel under local legal procedures, and that his return to Pakistan would be expedited once deportation orders are issued. The government said it had earlier coordinated the return of other citizens who disembarked from the flotilla, thanking friendly nations for their support. &ldquo;The Government of Pakistan remains committed to the protection of all its citizens abroad and anticipates the completion of this repatriation process within the coming days,&rdquo; the FO said.

Foreign Affairs

Says the government, through its embassy in Amman, is working tirelessly to secure the safe evacuation of the former senator.

Pakistan hopeful of Senator Mushtaq’s return in ‘next couple of days’

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Sunday that Pakistan is actively pursuing the safe and prompt repatriation of its citizens detained by Israeli forces during their participation in the Global Sumud Flotilla.&nbsp;In an official statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has established contact with international partners to ensure the safety of the detained individuals. Among them is former Senator Mushtaq Ahmad, who is confirmed to be in Israeli custody, safe and in good health. <div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1974708517182574727&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=9df509bd4df11b0a8f034903ca88199449e229e4&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 925px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1974708517182574727"></iframe></div></div></div>&nbsp;The ministry noted that Ahmad will be presented before a court under local legal procedures. His return to Pakistan is expected to be expedited once deportation orders are issued.&nbsp;Earlier, the government had successfully coordinated the return of other citizens who disembarked from the flotilla. It expressed gratitude to friendly nations that supported these efforts.&nbsp;&quot;The Government of Pakistan remains committed to the protection of all its citizens abroad and anticipates the completion of this repatriation process within the coming days,&quot; the statement said.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has established contact with international partners to ensure the safety of the detained individuals.

Pakistan engaged in repatriation efforts for citizens detained by Israel: FO

ROME: More than 2 million people across Italy rallied in over 100 cities Friday for a one-day general strike to support the residents of Gaza and a humanitarian aid mission, Italy&rsquo;s largest union said.&nbsp;Italian unions proclaimed the strike after the Global Sumud Flotilla that was trying to break Israel&rsquo;s naval blockade to deliver aid to Gaza was intercepted by Israeli naval forces on Wednesday night. Protests and demonstrations have sprung up all over Europe and globally since then, but they have been particularly strong in Italy.&nbsp;Italy&rsquo;s conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had sharply criticized the strike. She anticipated it would cause widespread disruption across the country and said it was politically motivated and targeted her right-wing government.&nbsp;According to the CGIL union, 300,000 people marched through the streets of Rome alone, while the national average participation in the general strike stood at around 60%, halting all the main services in key sectors, including transportation and schools.&nbsp;<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/b46b9a17-2f63-4d56-b07e-e8eb9f9eece4.jpg" style="width: 1000px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> In Florence, protesters approached the gates of the Italian national soccer team&rsquo;s training center to demand its upcoming World Cup qualifier against Israel not be played because of the war in Gaza.&nbsp;Italy is scheduled to host Israel in Udine on Oct. 14. But UEFA is considering suspending Israel over the war. The players were not at the Coverciano training center in Florence, but the squad will convene there on Monday.&nbsp;Protesters appeared to behave peacefully on the opposite side of the street from the soccer complex, holding aloft a banner that read in Italian, &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s stop Zionism with the resistance.&rdquo; <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/6c054fec-d218-4378-8af2-a406394ed4ac.jpg" style="width: 1000px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> On Friday morning, around 100,000 people participated in a rally in the northern city of Milan. Clashes there briefly erupted after a group of protesters blocking the city&rsquo;s highway started throwing bottles at police, who responded with smoke bombs.&nbsp;Isolated scuffles also happened in Turin, Bologna and Naples, but the majority of the protests were peaceful.&nbsp;&ldquo;I still believe that all this brings no benefit to the Palestinian people. On the other hand, I understand that it will cause a lot of problems for the Italian people,&quot; Meloni told reporters Thursday, condemning the strike. &ldquo;Revolutions and long weekends don&rsquo;t go well together.&rdquo;&nbsp;The Italian leader has been facing mounting pressure to change Italy&rsquo;s stance as a longtime supporter of Israel in the Gaza conflict, as growing calls have emerged to stop the massive humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.

Pro Palestine protests in Italy, Gaza protests in Italy, Global Sumud Flotilla

Italian unions proclaim the strike after the Global Sumud Flotilla that was trying to break Israel’s naval blockade to deliver aid to Gaza was intercepted by Israeli naval forces on Wednesday night.

2 million rally in Italy for Gaza as general strike halts key services

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that Pakistanis detained by Israeli forces from the Global Samood flotilla, including former Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, will be repatriated &ldquo;very soon.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to a statement from the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, Sharif held a telephone conversation with Pakistan religio-political party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman to discuss the situation in the Middle East, the ceasefire efforts in Palestine, and developments in Kashmir.&nbsp;Sharif reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s longstanding position on the Palestinian cause, emphasizing the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to &ldquo;the ongoing massacre of Palestinians.&rdquo; He stressed that Pakistan has consistently defended the rights of &ldquo;its Palestinian brothers and sisters&rdquo; at every international forum and would continue to do so.&nbsp;The prime minister reaffirmed Islamabad&rsquo;s support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. He noted that eight Islamic countries were actively working toward securing a ceasefire, expressing optimism that these efforts would soon bear fruit.&nbsp;On the detention of activists, Sharif said the government was in close contact with friendly countries and international organizations to ensure the safe return of Pakistani citizens. Israel does not have diplomatic relations with Pakistan.&nbsp;Israeli naval forces intercepted the 45-vessel flotilla last week, detaining more than 450 activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. The ships, which had departed Spain in late August, were carrying humanitarian aid in a bid to challenge Israel&rsquo;s blockade of Gaza. Detainees were taken to Ashdod port for deportation proceedings, prompting condemnation from Amnesty International and protests in several countries.&nbsp;Turkey, Spain, Colombia, and South Africa have joined Pakistan in demanding the activists&rsquo; immediate release.&nbsp;Sharif and Rehman also discussed the situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir, with the prime minister reiterating Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to supporting peace and the rights of Kashmiris.

Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif vowed swift repatriation of citizens detained in Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, reaffirmed support for Palestine and Kashmir, and stressed Islamabad’s commitment to a ceasefire and Palestinian statehood during talks with JI chief.

Pakistanis held in Gaza flotilla to return soon: PM Sharif

Ummer Faizan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani religio-political party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Thursday called on the government to ensure the safe and swift return of its former senator, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, who was detained by Israeli naval forces during the interception of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla. Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, JI President Hafiz Naeemur Rehman described the flotilla as a &ldquo;noble humanitarian mission,&rdquo; noting that politicians, actors, and human rights activists were among those on board. &ldquo;This is Israel&rsquo;s terrorism,&rdquo; JI Information Secretary Shakeel Turabi told Pakistan TV Digital, quoting Rehman as saying, while expressing hope for the &ldquo;safe and healthy return&rdquo; of the detained activists. Rehman further urged the Pakistani government &ldquo;not to take any decision in haste&rdquo; and instead push for a &ldquo;one-state solution, not two,&rdquo; in line with the vision of the country&rsquo;s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The 45-vessel flotilla, carrying more than 450 international activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, departed Spain last month in a bid to break Israel&rsquo;s blockade of Gaza, where the UN has warned of famine. Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office noted that it is coordinating with allied nations to secure the release of its citizens. Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan condemned the interception as &ldquo;a grave violation of international law&rdquo; and underscored that &ldquo;the safety and well-being of Pakistani citizens aboard the flotilla are of paramount importance.&rdquo; Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also denounced the &ldquo;dastardly attack&rdquo; and praised Pakistanis for joining the humanitarian mission. &ldquo;Their crime was to carry aid for the hapless Palestinian people,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Peace must be given a chance, and humanitarian aid must reach those in need. This barbarity must end.&rdquo; Israeli forces detained hundreds of activists and transferred them to Ashdod port for deportation proceedings, sparking global outrage. Turkey, Spain, Colombia, and South Africa joined Pakistan in demanding the activists&rsquo; immediate release, while Amnesty International condemned the interception as &ldquo;an act of intimidation.&rdquo;

A screengrab from Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan’s X account shows his message before being detained by Israeli forces during the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla. (X/Senator Mushtaq)

 Jamaat-e-Islami urged Pakistan to secure the safe return of ex-senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, detained on the Gaza flotilla. The Foreign Office and Prime Minister condemned Israel’s interception, as global outrage mounted and allies demanded activists’ release.

Pakistani religio-political party urges safe return of ex-senator detained on Gaza flotilla

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan continues to coordinate with allied nations to safeguard its nationals, reaffirming its commitment to their swift and safe return, the Foreign Office said Thursday, after Israel intercepted the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF).&nbsp;Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Islamabad &ldquo;unequivocally condemned&rdquo; the interception, calling the flotilla a &ldquo;vital humanitarian mission embodying global solidarity and moral resolve.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The Israeli actions constitute a grave violation of international law,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Khan noted that on September 16, Pakistan had joined 15 other countries in issuing a joint statement expressing concern for the flotilla&rsquo;s security, stressing &ldquo;the safety and well-being of Pakistani citizens aboard the flotilla are of paramount importance.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;As Pakistan does not recognize Israel, we are working closely with international partners in the region to secure their immediate release and ensure their safety,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&lsquo;Barbarity must end&rsquo;&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned what he described as a &ldquo;dastardly attack&rdquo; on the flotilla, which carried more than 450 humanitarian workers from 44 countries, including Pakistanis.&nbsp;&ldquo;We hope and pray for the safety of all those illegally apprehended by Israeli forces and call for their immediate release,&rdquo; Sharif said. &ldquo;Their crime was to carry aid for the hapless Palestinian people.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;This barbarity must end,&rdquo; the prime minister added.&nbsp;&ldquo;Peace must be given a chance and humanitarian aid must reach those in need.&rdquo;&nbsp;Global outrageThe Global Sumud Flotilla, the largest yet to challenge Israel&rsquo;s Gaza blockade, sailed with over 40 vessels carrying activists, lawmakers, and campaigners, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.&nbsp;Organizers said their mission was to &ldquo;end Israel&rsquo;s illegal siege and ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.&rdquo;&nbsp;Israeli naval forces intercepted the flotilla in a 12-hour Mediterranean operation, detaining hundreds of activists and transferring them to Ashdod port. Israel said the flotilla aimed to breach a &ldquo;legal maritime security blockade,&rdquo; while rights groups and governments worldwide denounced the move.&nbsp;Amnesty International called it &ldquo;an act of intimidation intended to punish and silence critics of Israel&rsquo;s genocide and its unlawful blockade on Gaza.&rdquo;&nbsp;Turkey described it as &ldquo;an act of terrorism,&rdquo; Spain demanded the release of 65 nationals aboard, and Colombia expelled Israel&rsquo;s diplomatic delegation while terminating a trade agreement. South Africa also urged the release of all detainees, including Mandla Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela.

Islamabad condemns Israel’s interception of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, stressing its nationals’ safety as a top priority. The Foreign Office says it is working with allied nations to secure their release amid growing global condemnation of Israel.

Articles tagged with "Global Sumud Flotilla"