Four British Activists Return Home After Illegal Israeli Detention
(MENAFN) Four British activists detained unlawfully by Israeli forces during the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla have arrived back in London, touching down late Sunday evening.
Sarah Wilkinson, Kieran Andrieu, Francis Cummings, and Evie Snedker landed at Heathrow Airport at 9:25 p.m. local time (2025 GMT). They were met by a crowd of pro-Palestinian supporters, family members, and friends at Terminal 2, who voiced their admiration for the activists' defiance of Israel's Gaza blockade.
Supporters chanted, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," expressing pride in the activists’ efforts to challenge the ongoing siege.
Tommy Brooks, who greeted the activists and spoke to media, condemned the detentions as unlawful. “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," Brooks stated.
He emphasized the UK government’s primary responsibility: “The UK government's main job is to keep its people safe.”
Brooks further criticized the lack of official response regarding the risks the activists faced: "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."
Addressing reports that the activists endured torture during detention, Brooks remarked that such treatment is sadly “normal behavior” by Israel “if you listen to Palestinian voices.”
A total of 13 British nationals were detained by Israeli forces after the military intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters. Over recent days, Israel has deported roughly 170 flotilla participants, primarily to Istanbul, with smaller groups sent to Italy and Spain.
Beginning Wednesday, Israeli naval forces launched a forceful attack on the flotilla, seizing vessels and detaining more than 470 activists from over 50 countries. The flotilla’s mission was to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and confront the Israeli blockade, which has been in place for nearly 18 years.
The blockade affects Gaza’s 2.4 million residents, where since October 2023, Israeli bombardments have killed over 67,000 Palestinians—predominantly women and children—devastating the region and rendering much of it uninhabitable.
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