Thirty-six Turks, and nationals from 12 countries were due to arrive Saturday by a special flight to Turkey after Israel stopped a Gaza-bound aid flotilla and detained hundreds of people , officials in Ankara said.

"We expect 36 of our nationals on the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels seized by Israeli forces in international waters will return to our country this afternoon via a special flight," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said on X, adding that the number has not been finalised.

Keceli said efforts were underway to complete the procedures for the remaining citizens "as soon as possible so that they can come to Turkey", adding that third-country nationals were also set to board the flight.

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Turkey has called the Israeli interceptio "an act of terrorism" and on Thursday said it had opened an investigation after Israeli forces arrested Turkish citizens on board the flotilla.

Israel blocked similar flotilla attempts to reach the Gaza Strip in June and July.

A Turkish diplomatic source said nationals from multiple other countries also planned to be on the Turkish Airlines flight.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said 26 Italian nationals would be on the plane to Istanbul.

"A first batch of 26 Italian citizens who were on board the flotilla is about to leave Israel on a charter flight," he said on X.

"We have placed them on a Turkish flight to Istanbul. They have already been transferred to Ramon air base and will take off from Eilat Airport (south)," he added.

The other 15 Italians did not sign the voluntary release form and will wait for their judicial expulsion due next week, according to the minister.

The Global Sumud Flotilla of around 45 vessels began its voyage last month, with politicians and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg heading to Gaza, where the United Nations says famine has set in.

The Israeli navy has intercepted vessel after vessel at sea since Wednesday, after warning the activists against entering waters it says fall under its blockade.

The flotilla organisers have said Israel's interceptions are "illegal" since the vessels were traversing international waters.

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