Korean activist detained by Israel on Gaza aid ship to return home after voluntary release

Screenshots from a video of Kim Ah-hyun appealing for help on a Gaza-bound ship seized by Israel (X)

The South Korean activist aboard a Gaza-bound aid ship who was detained by the Israeli military will soon return home after being released voluntarily, South Korean foreign ministry announced Friday.

The activist, identified as Kim Ah-hyun, was deported voluntarily Friday morning from Israel on a flight bound for Istanbul and will soon be home, according to the ministry. Kim had reportedly been detained at a prison in southern Israel.

Kim, 27, was among scores of activists detained Wednesday by the Israeli military when it intercepted 11 Gaza-bound aid vessels attempting to break Israel’s naval blockade in the Mediterranean Sea.

Before Kim was released, President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday ordered “all-out diplomatic efforts” to resolve the detention of the South Korean national. The activist earlier recorded a video and posted it on social media, appealing for help on a Gaza-bound ship.

The detained flotilla, under the banner of “Thousand Madleens to Gaza,” approached waters near Gaza on Tuesday, carrying more than 150 activists from around 30 countries as the Israel-Hamas war entered its third year. On board were doctors, politicians and three Turkish lawmakers, along with food and medical supplies for Gaza’s hospitals, according to local civic groups.