Post by : Rameen Ariff

PETALING JAYA – The 23 Malaysians who were detained by Israeli forces during the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) humanitarian mission to Gaza are now on their way home, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed.

In a Facebook live broadcast, Anwar said the group is heading to Ramon Airport in southern Israel, from where they will fly to Istanbul, Turkey, before returning to Kuala Lumpur. The brief stop in Istanbul will allow the volunteers to undergo health checks and recover from the trauma and harsh treatment they faced while in Israeli custody.

“The Malaysians are expected to depart for home either tomorrow night or the day after. We are finalising all arrangements,” Anwar said.

The release of the volunteers followed extensive diplomatic efforts involving Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, US Secretary of State Mike Rubio, as well as officials from Qatar and Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also played a key role in facilitating their release.

Anwar noted that despite the challenges, the GSF mission succeeded in raising global awareness about the Israeli blockade of Gaza. “Reaching Gaza under Israeli occupation is difficult, but the flotilla demonstrated that humanitarian aid and volunteers are often restricted and targeted,” he said.

The GSF mission involved more than 500 activists from 44 countries, including Malaysia, aiming to deliver essential supplies to Gaza and show solidarity with Palestinians affected by ongoing Israeli attacks. Most of the flotilla vessels were intercepted by Israeli forces, and the passengers were taken to a port in Israel before arrangements for their release were completed.

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