Saad Edhi, along with more than 500 activists from various countries participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, had departed from Marmaris, Turkiye, on a humanitarian mission to Gaza aimed at delivering relief assistance to Palestinians.
The humanitarian effort led by the Edhi Foundation was halted after Israeli forces detained several activists, including Saad Edhi, during the flotilla mission.
According to reports, Saad Edhi was among dozens taken into custody while participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which sought to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
Before his detention, Saad Edhi released an emergency video statement in which Israeli forces could allegedly be seen approaching and carrying out the operation against the flotilla.
The incident comes amid growing international scrutiny over Israel’s blockade of Gaza and follows the interception earlier this month of another Global Sumud flotilla carrying humanitarian activists and aid supplies toward the Palestinian territory.
Israel’s seizure of the previous flotilla drew condemnation from Pakistan and 10 other countries, which described the attacks on the vessels and the detention of humanitarian activists in international waters as violations of international and humanitarian law.
Former Pakistani senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan was also among those detained during the earlier flotilla mission before later being released and transferred to Turkiye.
