Four pro-Palestinian activists have been released from detention in Libya after being held for nearly a month, according to the Global Sumud Flotilla organization. The group, which advocates for humanitarian aid access to the Gaza Strip, confirmed that the four individuals—representing Tunisia, Uruguay, and Italy—arrived safely in Tunis on Wednesday.
The released activists are Achraf Khoja, Matias Rodriguez, and Italian nationals Domenico Centrone and Leonarda Alberizia. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani publicly welcomed the news, confirming that the three individuals with Italian citizenship were handed over to the Italian consul in Benghazi and are expected to return home shortly.
The Global Sumud Flotilla stated that the remaining six activists, who were part of the same humanitarian mission, are expected to be released within the next 24 hours. The group had been enduring a hunger strike to protest their prolonged detention and the conditions of their confinement.
The activists were originally detained on May 24, 2026, by armed forces affiliated with Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF). At the time of their arrest, the group was traveling toward the city of Sirte to negotiate the passage of an aid convoy intended for Gaza. They were subsequently held on charges of “assembly without authorization.”
According to Amnesty International, the humanitarian workers faced periods of enforced disappearance for up to nine days before being brought before local prosecutors. The incident occurred against the backdrop of broader efforts by international activists to challenge the ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip.
This group was distinct from the larger maritime flotilla that attempted to reach Gaza by sea last month, which saw hundreds of activists intercepted in international waters. These detainees were instead attempting to coordinate a land route through Libya and Egypt.
Summary of events:
1. Four activists released from Libyan detention.
2. Six remaining detainees expected to be freed within 24 hours.
3. The group was detained while negotiating land-based aid passage to Gaza.
4. Activists had staged a hunger strike to protest their pretrial detention.
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