Two South Korean activists returned home on Friday after being released by Israeli forces who had detained them aboard aid vessels attempting to reach the Gaza Strip, News.Az reports, citing Yonhap.
Kim Ah-hyun was on board an aid ship seized by Israeli forces in waters off Gaza, while Kim Dong-hyeon was aboard another vessel intercepted near Cyprus earlier this week.
The two activists were released on Wednesday and traveled back to South Korea together, arriving at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, at 6:24 a.m.
“Many people are dying not only from bombings, but also from starvation,” Kim Ah-hyun told reporters upon arrival. “Because there are people there, I thought that I had to attempt the voyage again, no matter how dangerous the situation in the Middle East was.”
Kim Ah-hyun had previously attempted to reach Gaza in October aboard another aid flotilla without authorization. During that attempt, she was also detained by Israeli forces before later being released.
Ahead of her latest trip, the South Korean government revoked her passport.
The activist alleged that Israeli forces assaulted her in the face during the recent detention, saying she has experienced hearing problems in her left ear since the incident.
Kim Dong-hyeon also accused Israeli forces of mistreating the activists, claiming they had endured what he described as “unendurable violence” during their detention.
Israel has come under criticism after images circulated showing detained activists kneeling on the ground with their hands tied.
On Wednesday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung condemned Israel’s seizure of the aid vessels, arguing that the ships were intercepted outside Israeli territorial waters and accusing Israel of violating international rules.
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