Israel detains activists and confiscates aid carried on the Freedom Flotilla as legal group warns of further action

Israel detains activists and confiscates aid carried on the Freedom Flotilla as legal group warns of further action

<article data-history-node-id="429816" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/mandelas-grandson-returns-south-africa-after-deportation-israel" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/mandelas-grandson-returns-south-africa-after-deportation-israel" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Mandela's grandson returns to South Africa after deportation by Israel</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>The grandson of late South African president and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela arrived in Johannesburg on Wednesday after being detained and then deported by Israel, which prevented the flotilla he was part of from breaking the blockade in Gaza.</p> <p>Mandla Mandela, who returned home with four other South Africans, said he and the group he was with were held in an Israeli prison for six days before being released via Jordan.</p> <p>"We were handcuffed with cable ties tied tightly behind our backs, taken off our boats, put on the platform and paraded for all ... to see," Mandela, 51, said at the airport, where he was greeted by supporters waving Palestinian flags.</p> <p>"But it's nothing compared to what Palestinians have been subjected to on a daily basis," he said, referring to Israel's genocide on Gaza.</p> <figure role="group" class="media-block"> <div class="group-inner"> <div alt="Mandla Mandela (L), South African activist and grandson of the late Nelson Mandela shows a peace sign accompanied by his wife Rabia Mandela (R) as he arrives with others at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park on October 8, 2025" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="80223593-9c03-4ecd-a458-3023a5e704db" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/000_782V4Q7.jpg" width="1024" height="682" alt="Mandla Mandela (L), South African activist and grandson of the late Nelson Mandela shows a peace sign accompanied by his wife Rabia Mandela (R) as he arrives with others at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park on October 8, 2025" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high"> </div> <figcaption>Mandla Mandela (L), South African activist and grandson of the late Nelson Mandela shows a peace sign accompanied by his wife Rabia Mandela (R) as he arrives with others at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park on 8 October, 2025. (AFP)</figcaption> </div> </figure> <p><span style="background: url(&quot;https://www.middleeasteye.net/modules/contrib/ckeditor/vendor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png&quot;) rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" loading="lazy"></span></p> </div> </div> </article>

The man who oversees the nation’s military has reposted a video on X, formerly Twitter, about a Christian nationalist church that included various pastors saying women should no longer be allowed to v...

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