Some 45 civilian boats carrying Turkish activists departed from the port of Hatay Arsuz in solidarity with the Global Sumud Flotilla, which carries humanitarian aid.

The Turkish boats displayed Palestinian flags as a sign of their support for the international flotilla, which was intercepted and seized by Israeli military forces while still sailing in international waters.

The Global Sumud Flotilla departed from Barcelona a month ago with some 500 activists from nearly 50 countries and constitutes the largest initiative of its kind in support of the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip.

The voyage, not without intimidation from Israel, received support from residents in the ports where it stopped and from millions of people around the world.

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