Among the 15 Irish citizens detained was Dr Margaret Connolly, the sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly – as well as Belfast man Fra Hughes and Lurgan woman Helena Kearns.
In a statement on Thursday, a spokesman for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “All foreign activists from the PR flotilla have been deported from Israel.
“Israel will not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza.”
On Friday morning Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Helen McEntee, confirmed that the Irish citizens are safely in Turkey.
“Pleased to report that our flotilla citizens are safe in Istanbul and are recovering,” she said.
“I assure their loved ones that officials from our embassy will continue to provide appropriate consular assistance and support.”
After arriving in Turkey, Dr Margaret Connolly said of Israel: “This barbaric, cruel regime must be disbanded.”
Mikey Cullen, another Irish activist who was also on board the flotilla, said that when they were intercepted they were met with violence.
“And the fact that Israel would do that to us with the world on us, I can only imagine what they do to Palestinian prisoners,” RTÉ has reported.