Flotilla Activists Now Face Massive Deportation

The deportation of activists, which does include more than 40 Brits, that were detained during the storming of an aid flotilla heading for the Gaza Strip is now underway. All of the 679 detainees that were taken off the ships during the Israeli military-led action, which saw nine civilians killed, will be deported within 48 hours. However, 50 of these people will be held for questioning, according to the Israeli government.

The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said that 31 British nationals and a further 11 with dual nationality were known to have been detained after the seizure of the vessels as they attempted to breach the Israeli blockade of the territory. One of the Brits, who was on one of the ships heading towards Gaza, arrived back in the UK on Tuesday.

The Brit who made it back on Tuesday night described the raid. He said that the attack happened out of the blue. All he could hear was screaming and bullets all over the place. As he looked around, all he could see were hundreds of Zodiacs. Hundreds of Zodiacs full of soldiers, and big ships. He even believed that there were submarines in the sea.

The Israeli authorities went on to confirm that 50 of the 679 activists taken off the flotilla had been taken to Israel's international airport for deportation. The rest were being held at the Be'er Sheva detention center in southern Israel for having refused to identify themselves.

Of course, there is anger and concern among their friends and relatives in the UK. They say that they are unable to establish any kind of contact with the detainees or find out what's happening.