Kuwait and Turkey announce Israel's release of the activists participating in the aid flotilla.

Kuwait and Turkey announce Israel's release of the activists participating in the aid flotilla.

Kuwait and Turkey have announced the release of activists participating in the Gaza aid flotilla, marking a significant development in the ongoing diplomatic tensions between Israel and its neighbors. The release comes after Israel detained more than 450 activists from the flotilla, which aimed to deliver aid to the Palestinian enclave of Gaza .

The Turkish foreign ministry reported that 137 activists, including 36 Turkish nationals, are being flown to Istanbul. The flight is expected to land after 3:40 p.m. local time (1240 GMT) . Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed that 26 Italians were among those on the flight, with an additional 15 Italians still held in Israel and set to be expelled next week .

The activists' release follows international condemnation of Israel's interception of the flotilla and the subsequent detention of the activists. Israel has maintained that all detained activists were "safe and in good health" and has expressed a desire to complete the deportations as quickly as possible .

However, reports from Adalah, an Israeli legal aid group, suggest that some activists were denied access to lawyers, water, medications, and toilets, and were forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for at least five hours .

The flotilla, which set sail in late August, was the latest attempt by activists to challenge Israel's naval blockade of Gaza. Israel has consistently maintained that the blockade is lawful and necessary to prevent the entry of weapons and materials that could be used for militant activities .

This development underscores the complex geopolitical landscape in the Middle East and the ongoing efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The release of the activists is likely to influence diplomatic relations between Israel and its neighbors, as well as the broader regional dynamics.