Israel Releases Two Australians After Intercepting Gaza Aid Vessel
(MENAFN) Two Australian citizens detained by Israeli forces while aboard a humanitarian vessel en route to Gaza have been released, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition confirmed Wednesday.
The vessel, named Handala, was intercepted by Israeli forces off the coast of Gaza on Saturday night. It was carrying essential supplies—such as baby formula, food, and medical aid—and transporting 21 unarmed civilians. Among those aboard were parliamentarians, healthcare professionals, and humanitarian volunteers.
According to the coalition, Australians Tan Safi and Robert Martin were freed from Givon Prison in Ramlah, central Israel, and have since been transferred to the Australian Embassy in Jordan. They are expected to return home after completion of necessary formalities, the group added.
The Israeli legal advocacy group Adalah reported late Tuesday that seven of the remaining 14 detained activists had been moved to the airport for imminent deportation. However, the group noted it could not confirm the current status of the detainees, citing administrative delays at the airport.
Adalah also revealed that those still in custody have entered the fourth day of a hunger strike, protesting what they described as Israel’s unlawful detention practices and “harsh and degrading detention conditions.”
“The conditions they endure highlight the harsh realities faced within Israeli Prison Service custody, where many Palestinians suffer far more severe mistreatment and abuse,” the group stated.
The Handala mission, organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departed from Italy in an effort to challenge Israel’s months-long blockade of Gaza—a blockade that has pushed the enclave’s 2.4 million residents to the brink of famine.
In recent months, Israel has stopped several aid ships attempting to reach Gaza through international waters. In June, Israeli forces intercepted the Madleen, detaining 12 international activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and French Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan. The previous month, the MV Conscience was struck by drones near Malta.
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