NextFin news, Canadian activists who were detained by Israeli forces after attempting to break the naval blockade of Gaza aboard a flotilla are expected to return to Canada this weekend, according to sources close to the group.
Among those returning is Montreal epidemiologist and activist Nimâ Machouf, who was deported to Istanbul, Turkey, and is scheduled to arrive at Montreal Trudeau International Airport on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at approximately 5:30 p.m., her husband and spokesperson Amir Khadir confirmed.
Machouf was aboard the vessel named The Conscience, part of a flotilla of nine boats intercepted by the Israeli military on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, in the Mediterranean Sea. The flotilla was organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Thousand Madleens to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, where a famine has been declared by UN-backed agencies and international NGOs since August 2025.
In addition to Machouf, Indigenous rights activist Mskwaasin Agnew, a Cree and Dene woman from Salt River First Nation, is expected to arrive in Toronto on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at around 4 p.m. Another Canadian, Khurram Musti Khan from Milton, Ontario, is anticipated to land in Toronto on Sunday evening.
Gur Tsabar, speaking on behalf of the Canadians involved, confirmed these arrival times. However, three other Canadians from Newfoundland—Sadie Mees, Nikita Stapleton, and Devoney Ellis—remain detained in Israel but are expected to be deported to Jordan on Sunday.
Amir Khadir reported that the detained activists faced violence and mistreatment by Israeli forces, including being dragged by their hair, forced to kneel for hours, and denied medication. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has denied these allegations.
The flotilla involved nearly 450 activists, including European lawmakers and climate activist Greta Thunberg, who were detained last week after more than 40 boats attempted to reach Gaza. Following the interception, 145 activists were brought ashore in Israel for processing and deportation.
The activists' mission was motivated by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, aiming to deliver aid despite Israel's naval blockade. The return of these Canadian activists marks the end of their detention and deportation process after the interception by Israeli forces earlier this month.
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