Gaza Flotilla Passengers Deported From Israel

The Israeli government has confirmed that all passengers aboard the Gaza flotilla have been sent back to their countries.
Gaza Flotilla Passengers Deported From Israel
Demonstrators chant slogans and waves Palestinian flags at airport as they welcome Turkish activists expelled from Israel. (Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images)
6/3/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/101577143.jpg" alt="Demonstrators chant slogans and waves Palestinian flags at airport as they welcome Turkish activists expelled from Israel. (Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images)" title="Demonstrators chant slogans and waves Palestinian flags at airport as they welcome Turkish activists expelled from Israel. (Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1819082"/></a>
Demonstrators chant slogans and waves Palestinian flags at airport as they welcome Turkish activists expelled from Israel. (Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images)
JERUSALEM—The Israeli government has confirmed that all passengers aboard the Gaza flotilla have been sent back to their countries.

All 670 passengers from several countries, including Turkey, Lebanon, Greece, Pakistan, the U.K., and other countries, were flown home as of Wednesday evening. Nine passengers were killed, 55 injured.

Seven Israeli soldiers were injured, and four Israeli-Arabs who were passengers with the flotilla remain in official custody.

The Israeli-Arabs, one of whom is a member of the parliament, will have a court hearing today to determine how long they will be held and if they will face any charges.

According to Mickey Rosenfeld, chief inspector for the Israel Police, the bodies of the dead are currently in the Israeli national morgue.

Seventy-six of the passengers released were foreign journalists. Two of those were also activists in leftist organizations and at least three wrote for Islamic organizations’ newspapers.

Many of the passengers have already been speaking to the media about their ordeal, and the U.N. continues to call on Israel to lift its naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Another boat that was part of the original flotilla group that fell behind because of mechanical problems, the MV Rachel Corrie, is now on its way to the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli government has repeatedly said that it regrets the loss of life, but that it was taking action to defend the safety of Israeli citizens. It has also reiterated that its policy regarding a naval blockade of Gaza remains in place for security reasons.

In a statement to the press from his office in Jerusalem late Wednesday night, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the U.N.’s accusations toward Israel of committing war crimes in regard to the flotilla. He also reiterated Israel’s right to defend itself from the violent Hamas elements inside Gaza.

“Last year, Israel acted to stop Hamas from firing thousands of rockets into Israel’s towns and cities,” said Netanyahu in his statement, which was also published on his official website. “Hamas was firing on our civilians while hiding behind civilians. And Israel went to unprecedented lengths to avoid Palestinian civilian casualties.”