(MENAFN) Switzerland’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Monday that embassy officials in Tel Aviv have met with 10 Swiss citizens held in Israel following their involvement in the Global Sumud Flotilla.

The detainees are confined at Ktzi'ot detention center in southern Israel, where the Swiss diplomats conducted their visit. In a statement posted Sunday on the social media platform X, the ministry reported that officials “were able to meet and speak with the detainees” and verified that “all are in relatively good health, given the circumstances.” Among those detained is former Geneva mayor Remy Pagani.

Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs stated it is actively communicating with Israeli authorities and the detainees’ legal teams, who are responsible for keeping families informed. The ministry emphasized that Switzerland “continues to do everything possible to enable its nationals to return to Switzerland as soon as possible.”

Earlier, on Saturday, the ministry confirmed that nine additional Swiss nationals from the flotilla were expelled by Israel and reached Istanbul. This group arrived in Geneva on Sunday, reporting treatment they described as “inhumane” and expressing serious concern for those still held in Israeli custody.

Israeli naval forces intercepted and captured all vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla starting Wednesday, detaining more than 470 activists representing over 50 countries.

The flotilla aimed to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and contest Israel’s longstanding blockade of the territory.

Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza, home to nearly 2.4 million people, for close to 18 years.

Since October 2023, Israeli airstrikes have killed over 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children, leaving the area virtually unlivable.

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