Berlin Confirms Injuries Among 8 German Sumud Flotilla Activists - Reports

MOSCOW, May 23 (Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti) -- The German Foreign Ministry has confirmed that eight German Sumud flotilla activists, who were detained by Israeli security forces, sustained various injuries, Sputnik/RIA Novosti reported, citing German media on Friday.

The ministry did not specify the gravity of the injuries, the Bild newspaper reported, adding, however, that "serious" allegations had been made against Israel over the mistreatment of the detainees.

Some activists suffered multiple fractures and injuries caused by non-lethal munitions, including rubber bullets, the report said.

The activists are receiving medical treatment in Istanbul, Bild reported, citing a German Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

Representatives of the German consulate general were at Istanbul airport on Thursday evening to meet the detainees and were able to briefly speak with seven of the Germans, while the eighth individual was taken directly to hospital, according to the report.

German diplomats in Israel had previously been denied access to the activists, Bild said, adding that the Israeli authorities accuse them of being linked to Palestinian movement Hamas.

Earlier in the day, Sumud flotilla activists complained about suffering some 30 fractured bones among them after their detention in Israel.

On Thursday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry told RIA Novosti that Turkey had evacuated all the 422 participants of the Sumud flotilla who had been detained in Israel.

The flotilla carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza departed from Barcelona on April 15. On Monday, organisers said the flotilla had been surrounded and forcibly intercepted by Israeli naval vessels in international waters, approximately 250 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza.

-- BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI