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First Gaza flotilla activists arrive in Istanbul from Israel: AFP / Photo: © AFP
First Gaza flotilla activists arrive in Istanbul from Israel: AFP
The first of hundreds of Gaza flotilla activists began arriving at Istanbul airport Thursday after being arrested then deported from Israel, an AFP correspondent said.
The 422 activists, among them 85 Turkish nationals, were flown from southern Israel on three planes chartered by Ankara, Turkish foreign ministry sources said.
A first group of arrivals could be seen inside the VIP terminal at Istanbul airport on the European side of the city, as a crowd of supporters carrying Palestinian flags gathered to welcome them, the correspondent said.
As they started emerging from the terminal, with the Turkish activists at the front, they were greeted by cries of "Allahu Akbar!" -- Arabic for god is greatest -- by the waiting crowd.
"The Palestinian people are not alone!" shouted one of the activists as he emerged from the terminal.
"We've been tortured, we've been beaten, we've been arrested in international waters, but we won't give up. We will return. Palestine will be free from the river to the sea," he said to cheers from the crowd.
The activists had been part of a fleet of around 50 vessels that set sail from southern Turkey on May 14 seeking to break Israel's blockade on Gaza. It was joined at sea by several others.
Their deportation came a day after footage of their humiliation in custody, shared online by Israel's far-right security minister, sparked international fury.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had earlier said Ankara was arranging to have all the activists flown to Turkey on special charter flights.
Just after 1230 GMT, Israel confirmed that all the flotilla activists had "been deported" from Ramon Airport near the southern resort city of Eilat.
O. Larsen--BTZ
