The South African activists who were intercepted while transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza will be released from Israeli detention on Tuesday.
The department of international relations & cooperation (Dirco) said Israeli authorities had notified them of the impending release of the six South Africans who participated in the recent Global Sumud Flotilla initiative to under-siege Gaza.
“We have received confirmation that the individuals in question are scheduled to be released from detention and will be repatriated, departing from Jordan,” Dirco said in a statement on Monday afternoon.
The six South Africans include Mandla Mandela, the grandson of SA’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela. Other South Africans on board are Zukiswa Wanner, Reaaz Moolla, Zaheera Soomar, Fatima Hendricks, and Carrie Shelver, who were among over 400 activists from various countries who had gone to Gaza to deliver food and other supplies before their boats were intercepted by the Israeli military last week.
We have received confirmation that the individuals in question are scheduled to be released from detention and will be repatriated, departing from Jordan.
— Dirco
Earlier on Monday, the Global Sumud Flotilla movement held a press conference and said that about 40 activists had begun a hunger strike after the inhumane treatment they were allegedly subjected to in Israeli detention.
Lubna Tuma from the movement said that the Israeli government was making things difficult for them to access information about the flotilla volunteers at Israel’s Ketziot Prison.
“We know at least about 40 activists who are on hunger strike. Some say they prefer that the food rather goes to people in Gaza. Some are on a water strike until medication is given to all activists [who require the medication]. That’s the spirit among the activists — unity,” she said.
Some of the 473 volunteers were deported over the weekend to various countries. They claimed to have suffered abuse and humiliation.
“There is a series of violations that has been happening,” Tuma said. “We have testimonies from activists that refer to verbal humiliations, calling them names, and they were forced to stay in a small room. We got testimonies of authorities throwing medication at the activists; they were denied their medical needs. We also have testimony of physical abuse.”
Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the Gift of the Givers disaster relief group, told eNCA that the blockade of the flotilla was expected because the Israeli government has no regard for human life.
“It’s so obvious that they would have been intercepted. Let’s be honest, [the Israeli] government has no respect for human life. They have no respect for human rights. They cut water, food, and bomb innocent children. They kill innocent children, innocent mothers; they make sure that the new generation cannot survive,” he said.
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