Malaysian Volunteers from Global Sumud Flotilla Arrive Safely in Istanbul After Release from Israel

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4: Twenty-three Malaysian volunteers who were detained by Israeli forces during the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) mission arrived safely in Istanbul on Saturday night.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil confirmed their safe arrival, citing information from Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) director-general Datuk Dr. Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby.

“Alhamdulillah, Datuk Sani Araby has just informed us that the 23 Malaysian GSF volunteers have safely arrived in Istanbul. May Allah SWT grant them strength and ease their journey home,” Fahmi said in a Facebook post.

Earlier, SNCC confirmed that a special Turkish aircraft carrying all the Malaysian activists had departed Ramon Airport in Israel at 6.45pm Malaysian time.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan also posted on Facebook, stating that the volunteers were aboard flight TK6921, a special Turkish Airlines service arranged for their departure from Israel.

The Malaysians had been detained on Thursday after Israeli naval forces intercepted their humanitarian flotilla in the R3 Red Zone of the Mediterranean Sea. The vessels were taken to the port of Ashdod, and all participants were held for questioning.

Among those detained were several well-known figures, including singer Heliza Helmi and her sister Nur Hazwani Afiqah (aboard the Hio), influencer Nurfarahin Romli (Farah Lee) and Danish Nazran Murad (Grande Blu), singer Zizi Kirana (Huga), and actress Nurul Hidayah Mohd Amin (Ardell Aryana) (Mikeno). Other participants included PU Rahmat, Musa Nuwayri, Haikal Abdullah, and several youth activists and humanitarian workers.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, comprising more than 500 activists from 45 countries, had set sail for Gaza as part of a symbolic humanitarian mission to challenge Israel’s blockade and deliver aid to the besieged Palestinian enclave.

The Malaysian government has repeatedly condemned Israel’s interception of the flotilla and demanded the immediate release of all detained participants.

All 23 Malaysians are now under the care of the SNCC team in Istanbul and are expected to return home in the coming days.

@voice of malaysia news