LONDON

Four British activists who were illegally detained by Israel on the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla arrived in London late Sunday.

Sarah Wilkinson, Kieran Andrieu, Francis Cummings and Evie Snedker landed at London’s Heathrow Airport at 9.25 pm local time (2025GMT), where they were greeted by pro-Palestinian supporters, family members and friends.

Supporters at the Terminal 2 arrival hall chanted "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" while expressing how proud they are of the activists' action in a bid to challenge Israel's blockade on Gaza.

Speaking to Anadolu, Tommy Brooks, who was among those who arrived at the airport to welcome the activists, said that such a thing shouldn't have happened, as it was illegal.

“As far as I'm aware, there hasn't been any British MP, or anyone from the Labor Party I should say, that's responded to any calls from local groups about giving assurances about the safety of their constituents abroad," he said.

Brooks said the UK government's main job is to keep its people safe.

"There was basically silence from the British government about these people who were potentially putting themselves in harm's way to help people that are sort of in one of the most dangerous places on Earth right now," he added.

On reports that the activists were tortured by Israeli forces during their illegal detention, he said this is kind of "normal behavior" for Israel "if you listen to Palestinian voices."

A total of 13 British citizens were detained by Israel after it attacked the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters.

Israel has deported around 170 Gaza flotilla participants over the past few days, mostly to Istanbul, with smaller groups sent to Italy and Spain.

Israeli naval forces attacked and seized vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla beginning Wednesday and detained more than 470 activists from over 50 countries.

The flotilla had been attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and challenge Israel’s blockade of the enclave.

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

Since October 2023, Israeli bombardments have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children, and rendered it all but uninhabitable.