FFC x TMTG: Malaysian activists return home

They departed Istanbul aboard Turkish Airlines flight TK60 at 1.40 am on Sunday and arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here at 4.01 pm.

Their return was greeted by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan, family members and supporters who had been patiently waiting at the KLIA arrival hall.

The FFC x TMTG humanitarian mission involved about 150 activists from 25 countries aboard nine vessels, including the *Conscience* and *Umm Saad*, which were intercepted by Zionist forces less than 120 nautical miles from Gaza last Wednesday before being towed to Ashdod Port where the activists were later transferred to Ketziot Prison in Negev, Israel.

Eight Malaysians were on board the *Conscience* namely Malaysian delegation head Prof Emeritus Dr Mohd Alauddin Mohd Ali, Dr Fauziah Mohd Hassan, Dr Hafiz Sulaiman, Dr Ili Syakira Mohd Suhaimi, Prof Dr Mohd Afandi Salleh, Dr Noorhasyimah Ismail, Norsham Abu Bakar and Astro Awani journalist Syafik Shukri Abdul Jalil, while another medical doctor, Dr Maziah Muhammad, was on board the *Umm Saad*.

On Oct 8, the FFC mission to Gaza was intercepted by Israeli forces at 10.50 am Malaysian time, prompting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to strongly condemn the provocative act and violation of international law by the Israeli Zionist military in detaining the humanitarian mission vessels.

The Prime Minister said the act of detaining ships carrying aid for the people of Gaza was inhumane and contravened the fundamental principles of human rights and universal human dignity.

On the same day, Wisma Putra (the Malaysian Foreign Ministry) contacted Turkiye and United States Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau to expedite the release of the nine Malaysian activists detained by the Israeli forces.

On Oct 10, the nine activists were released and subsequently flown out of Israel aboard Turkish Airlines flight TK6921, arriving in Istanbul at 2.30 pm local time (7.30 pm Malaysian time).

Humanitarian Care Malaysia (MyCARE) chief executive officer Kamarul Zaman Shaharul Anwar was earlier reported as saying that Anwar had contacted Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding efforts to secure the Malaysians' release, and diplomatic efforts were being carried out to arrange their repatriation.

Turkiye was among the countries assisting Malaysia in repatriating 23 activists who joined the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) humanitarian mission, who were also detained by the Zionist regime's forces after their vessel was intercepted in the Red Zone waters of the Mediterranean Sea before being taken to Ashdod Port, Israel.