Mandla Mandela

Humanitarian aid must reach Gaza, and our Mexican compatriots – all of them, but especially our nationals – must be repatriated immediately because they have committed no crime.

— Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke about the Mexican citizens in Israeli custody after the flotilla interception.

It will never be about us but about the memory of what was on the walls within those prisons, the blood stains of those martyred within those walls.

— Mandla Mandela spoke after his release about his experiences and the systemic humiliations occurring in Israeli prisons.

I feel disappointed because I don’t feel we accomplished the mission, because we were kidnapped before we could do so and one of the things that will stay forever with me is the image of the Palestinian children — the people in Gaza waiting hopeful that we would arrive and then we didn’t.

— Zukiswa Wanner, a journalist and novelist, spoke to the Mail & Guardian on the sidelines of the press conference.

We are carrying only humanitarian aid.

— Yasemin Acar, a German human rights activist and flotilla member, speaks about the group's mission.