• Activists taken to Port of Ashdod, says flotilla's Türkiye delegation
• 'We hope to reach the shores of Gaza as a sign of hope, we are counting on support,' Turkish activist aboard flotilla tells Anadolu

ANKARA 

The Global Sumud Flotilla's Türkiye delegation announced on Thursday that Israeli authorities have illegally detained 48 Turkish activists during an attack on the fleet, which was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza.

In a statement to Anadolu, the delegation said that the 48 verified detained activists and their respective vessels are as follows: "(Sirius) Abdulaziz Yalcin, Davut Daskiran, Zeynep Dilek Tekocak, Aycin Kantoglu; (HUGA-A) Mehmet Sait Direkci, Fatih Ozsoz, Tevhit Yildiz; (Austral-A) Ikbal Gurpinar, Fethullah Badem, Muhammet Emin Isik, Haci Durak, Bekir Develi, Erdem Ozveren, Enes Harman, Sait Karahasan; (Florida-A) Evren Akan, Turgay Turan, Muhammet Emin Yildirim; (Alma) Metehan Sari, Huseyin Suayb Ordu, Onur Murat Kolgu, Semih Fener, Osman Cetinkaya, Sumeyra Akdeniz Ordu; (Spectre) Bekir Turunc, Abdulmecid Bagcivan, Mustafa Muhammed Cakmakci, Mesut Cakar, Muslim Ziyali; (Mali/Deir Yassine-A) Sumeyye Sena Polat; (Grande Blu) Halil Rifat Canakci; (Morgana) Ersin Celik, Semanur Sonmez Yaman; (Seulle-A) Yasar Yavuz, Hasmet Yazici, Abdulsamed Turan; (Capten Nikos-A) Umut Aslan, Abdullah Gundem; (Allakatalla) Halil İbrahim Sehidoglu; (Maria Cristina) Ergun Akpinar, (Adaigo) Muhammet Fatih Sinan, Yunus Demir, Mehmet Emin Aydin, Hakan Simsek, Zeynel Abidin Ozkan, Alpaslan Arslan, Muhammed Salih Dalli, (Mikeno-A) Huzeyfe Kücükaytekin."

The activists were taken to the Port of Ashdod, the delegation added.  

Türkiye continues diplomatic efforts

Turkish officials are closely monitoring the condition of their citizens aboard the seized vessels.

According to Turkish diplomatic sources, the Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv has taken the necessary steps to provide consular protection for the detained citizens, adding that the families of those aboard are being kept informed about the situation.  

Activists hope to reach Gaza

Sinan Akilotu, a Turkish activist aboard the fleet’s Marinette ship, said their vessel is the last one still moving.

“Many activists have been abducted by Israel. The Marinette is the last ship still moving in the Sumud Flotilla. We hope to reach the shores of Gaza as a sign of hope. We are counting on support,” he told Anadolu.

Akilotu added that returning is not an option and that Israel has not directly intervened against them.

He noted that some ships entered Gaza’s territorial waters, but contact with them has been lost.

"We don’t know their exact location. Our own connection was also cut off. We were falling behind due to a technical malfunction on the ship. We are currently about 135 miles from Gaza’s territorial waters," he said.