PETALING JAYA: The Malaysians involved in the intercepted Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) have been released from Israel’s detention and will first be sent to Istanbul before returning home.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had agreed to facilitate the return of the 23 Malaysian volunteers following lengthy negotiations involving representatives from Türkiye, Malaysia, Qatar and the United States.
"Yesterday, three of the Malaysians were reluctant to sign the deportation orders from Israel, but our opinion is that they should agree to it... and bring all of them back, and we can discuss our plans from there.
"So 23 of them are now on the way to the Ramon Airport in southern Israel with a special flight to bring them to Istanbul," said Anwar in a video on Saturday (Oct 4).
The Malaysians would stay in Türkiye for a day or so before coming home to Malaysia, he added.
This allows them to undergo health and wellness checks and receive any additional post-trauma support they may need.
"They will come back (to Malaysia), maybe tomorrow night (Oct 5) or the day after. We are still in the midst of arranging that," he said.
The GSF, comprising over 500 activists from 45 countries, had embarked on a voyage toward Gaza as a gesture of solidarity and an effort to break the Israeli blockade.
The flotilla was sailing across the Mediterranean carrying vital food and medical supplies, bearing a message of peace that demands an end to the war and famine, and the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors to Gaza.
Anwar said the flotilla had succeeded in part of its mission, as it brought awareness to hundreds of millions of people worldwide that Israel is not just fighting so-called terrorists, but also blocking humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, Anwar said Malaysia would give its limited support to the deal struck between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza.
This was because, he said, Palestine's freedom and independence must be guaranteed.
"But this decision made by the Madani government is, of course, tied to the decisions made by the Arab countries, the Islamic countries and the decision from Hamas itself," Anwar added.
Trump had previously secured Netanyahu's backing on a US-sponsored peace proposal in late September to end the war in Gaza.
