Saad Edhi and 430 Gaza Aid Workers Released After Israel Detention During Global Sumud Flotilla Mission

Humanitarian activist Saad Edhi and more than 430 volunteers linked to the Global Sumud Flotilla have been released after being detained by Israeli forces during a humanitarian mission aimed at delivering aid to Gaza.

According to reports, the detained aid workers were later transferred to Türkiye following their release from Israeli custody. The organisation Adalah, which represents Palestinians in the United States, stated that the humanitarian personnel were being deported by Israeli authorities after interception at sea.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the development, stating that Saad Edhi, who was part of the flotilla, had been released through coordinated diplomatic efforts by the Government of Pakistan. He added that Edhi and other volunteers had safely arrived in Istanbul after their release.

The group of 430 volunteers was part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international humanitarian initiative designed to deliver relief supplies to civilians in Gaza. The convoy reportedly departed from Marmaris, Türkiye, on 14 May 2026 and included over 500 humanitarian workers from different countries.

Before his detention, Saad Edhi released an emergency video message, in which he described the situation as the mission came under interception at sea. Reports indicate that Israeli forces halted the convoy and detained participants during the operation.

The Edhi Foundation and international volunteers have described the mission as peaceful and humanitarian in nature, stating that the objective was solely to deliver essential aid. They further claimed that Israeli forces used direct action to stop the convoy and detain those on board.