Intercepted Gaza Aid Flotilla Docks in Türkiye’s Marmaris

(MENAFN) The Global Sumud Flotilla — a 38-vessel humanitarian convoy intercepted by Israel in the Mediterranean — arrived at Marmaris Port in Türkiye's southwestern Mugla province for technical maintenance and resupply, as Turkish authorities moved swiftly to launch a criminal investigation into the incident.

The flotilla, which departed Barcelona, Spain, on April 15 carrying nearly 300 activists from dozens of countries, docked late at night in the Marmaris district. Entry procedures for activists — many arriving from the Greek island of Crete — were initiated in a controlled and phased manner through the morning hours, with legal and medical processing frameworks already in place upon their arrival.

Prosecutors Open Criminal Investigation
The Marmaris Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an ex officio investigation into the Israeli interception and the detention of Turkish citizens, with charges under examination including "deprivation of liberty," "hijacking and detention of means of transportation," "aggravated looting," "damage to property," and "ill-treatment."

Acting on the prosecutor's directives, officials have begun collecting witness statements from returning citizens and initiated formal evidence-gathering procedures. A temporary police post has been established at the port to accelerate both entry processing and investigative operations, with authorities confirming that all measures to ensure the safety and basic needs of arriving activists have been put in place.

Medical Teams on Standby
Comprehensive medical arrangements were finalized at Marmaris State Hospital under the coordination of the Deputy Head of the Forensic Medicine Institute. Specialist teams — including forensic medicine experts, psychiatrists, and clinical physicians — drawn from Türkiye's Denizli, Istanbul, and Mugla provinces have converged on the district to conduct thorough physical and psychological examinations. Toxicological samples may also be collected where deemed necessary, with all resulting medical reports to be forwarded directly to the prosecutor's office for inclusion in the investigation file.

Mission to Resume Wednesday
Despite the interception, officials from Global Sumud Türkiye stated the humanitarian mission remains active, with the flotilla planned to set sail again on Wednesday.

The Global Sumud Flotilla 2026 Spring Mission — designed to break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver critical humanitarian aid — was first intercepted by the Israeli military off the coast of Crete on April 29, and subsequently attacked on April 30, approximately 600 nautical miles from its destination. The convoy's lead vessels had originally departed Barcelona on April 12, with the main fleet launching from the Italian island of Sicily on April 26.

Israel has maintained a blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving the territory's 2.4 million residents facing severe shortages of food and essential supplies. The Israeli military offensive launched in October 2023 has, over the course of two years, killed more than 72,000 people, injured over 172,000 others, and inflicted sweeping destruction across the besieged enclave.

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