First group of flotilla activists deported from Israel lands in Madrid

The first group of Spanish members of the Global Sumud Flotilla deported from Israel arrived in Madrid on Sunday evening, following their arrest for attempting to break the maritime blockade of Gaza.

Among this first group of 21 deportees, out of a total of 49 Spanish flotilla members, are former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau and current Barcelona city councillor Jordi Coronas.

They and other Catalan activists are scheduled to board a connecting flight to Barcelona, expected to land at 10:50pm.

Leaders from political parties such as Sumar and Podemos gathered at Madrid Airport to welcome the group.

Unlike Colau and Coronas, CUP MP Pilar Castillejo and the party's national secretariat member Adrià Plazas are not among the 21 activists that returned on Sunday.

Party sources explained that they intend to "continue applying international pressure from Ketziot prison."

The two detainees argued that signing the deportation order would amount to acknowledging they had entered Israel illegally, a claim they reject.

Foreign Ministry sources said that the families of all 21 repatriated citizens were kept informed about the flight details.

They have also set up a phone line for relatives, which will remain active until all detainees are released.

Hunger strike

Flotilla representatives have reported that eight activists still detained in Israel have begun a hunger strike.

The organisation also condemned what it described as a total lack of communication from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, despite repeated attempts over the past month to make contact.

In response, the ministry stated that it had "mobilised all its consular and diplomatic resources to provide continuous and uninterrupted protection" to Spanish nationals intercepted at sea en route to Gaza.

Full diplomatic protection

Foreign minister José Manuel Albares said earlier on Sunday that he had instructed the Spanish consul in Tel Aviv to visit the detention center daily to "verify" that detainees are receiving water, food, and medical care where needed.

He also assured "full diplomatic and consular protection" and reminded Israeli authorities that among the detainees are Spanish parliamentarians and journalists.

Flotilla 

The group of around 40 vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli military on Wednesday and Thursday, over a month after setting sail from Barcelona. 

Mass protests in Barcelona have called for their release, as well as a "boycott of Israel" and "end to the genocide in Gaza."