SEPANG: The nine Malaysians released by Israeli forces arrived home safely at Terminal One of KL International Airport (KLIA) at 4pm Sunday (Oct 12), welcomed by hundreds of family members, friends, and supporters.
The nine Malaysians, who were part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and included medical personnel and one journalist, flew back from Istanbul on a Saudi Arabian plane after Israeli forces deported them to Turkiye.
The second group of Malaysians, released after humanitarian missions to Gaza were intercepted by Israeli Defence Forces, seemed in high spirits as their parents, spouses, and children greeted and hugged them at KLIA.
The crowd, clad in red, green and black waved Palestinian flags and banners as they chanted "Free, free Palestine. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."
The nine Malaysians on the mision were Prof Emeritus Dr Mohd Alauddin Mohd Ali, Dr Fauziah Mohd Hassan, Dr Hafiz Sulaiman, Dr Ili Syakira Mohd Suhaimi, Dr Mohd Afandi Salleh, Dr Noorhasyimah Ismail, Norsham Abu Bakar and Astro Awani journalist Syafik Shukri Abdul Jalil.
The group participated in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and Thousand Madleens to Gaza (TMTG) mission. This mission comprised about 150 activists from 25 countries aboard nine ships, including the Conscience and Umm Saad.
Earlier, NGO Humanitarian Care Malaysia (MyCARE) Datuk Seri Prof Dr Kamal Nasharuddin Mustapha said that they were grateful to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Turkiye authorities for making the release of the group possible.
"Our struggle to free Palestine has not stopped due to this interception, as we continue to fight the Israelis who have occupied Palestine for 76 years. A mission does not have to reach Gaza for it to be successful, as the world's eyes are now focused on the plight of Gazans. The objective of this mission has been achieved, and their plight is now known to the world. The Israelis can intercept ships and imprison activists, only to raise our spirit and more flotillas to Gaza will continue to sail," said Kamal Nasharuddin, flanked by the nine.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Islamic Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hassan, who was representing the government, also thanked the Malaysian diplomatic missions in Turkiye for assisting their journey home safely.
Obstetrician and gynecologist Dr Fauziah Mohd Hassan, who said this was her second time joining a humanitarian mission to Palestine, felt that the Israeli forces were more aggressive toward activists this time around.
"In the last round, they arrested us activists because they wanted the world to see them as still being nice. However, the extensive publicity surrounding the violence inflicted on acticists on the Global Sumud Flotilla, intercepted on Oct 2nd, might have protected us from greater aggression during our arrests.
"All struggles take time, and the evil inflicted on us was just temporary," said a much-spirited Dr Fauziah.
Syafik's mother Rodziah Abdullah, 72, said that she has given her full blessings to her son to take part in the mission.
"If he wants to go again, I will still give my blessings.
“Syafik is someone who is committed to his job and to what he has undertaken,” said Rodziah.
The mission which included medical and media personnel was intercepted by Israeli forces on Wednesday (Oct 8) when they were less than 120 nautical miles from Gaza.
Prior to this, Wisma Putra had confirmed that the Malaysians had been evacuated from Israel via Turkish Airlines Flight TK6921 and had arrived in Istanbul, Turkiye, at 7.30pm (Malaysia time).
