By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: Saad Edhi, a Pakistani humanitarian worker and grandson of the late philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, arrived home Saturday at Jinnah International Airport after Israeli forces detained him during the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters earlier this week.
Edhi was one of roughly 100 activists and aid workers taken into custody Monday when Israeli forces stopped at least 10 boats from the flotilla in the eastern Mediterranean. He was deported from Israel to Turkiye on Friday and flew on to Karachi the next day. A large crowd of family members, supporters, and well-wishers packed the airport arrival hall to greet him. Video from the scene showed people showering Edhi with flower petals, draping floral garlands around his neck, and embracing him amid chants and cheers of relief.
The episode drew swift condemnation from Pakistani officials and a joint statement from 10 nations. On Thursday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office described Israel’s interception of the flotilla in international waters as unlawful and confirmed that Edhi was among those detained. The following day, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Edhi had reached Istanbul safely “following concerted efforts” by Pakistani authorities. Dar thanked the Turkish government for helping secure the activists’ release and safe passage, called Israel’s treatment of humanitarian workers “deeply condemnable and totally unacceptable,” and reiterated Pakistan’s “unequivocal support” for the Palestinian people.
The Global Sumud Flotilla had departed from Turkiye last week in what organizers described as a non-violent effort to deliver aid to Gaza and challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave. It was the latest in a series of such attempts; Israeli forces had intercepted a previous convoy the month before. Early Monday, Edhi’s father, Faisal Edhi, posted a video on the Edhi Foundation’s official Facebook page announcing that the flotilla had been stopped near Cyprus and that its members, including his son, had been arrested. Faisal Edhi appealed directly to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for help. Later that day, Saad Edhi himself recorded a video statement from the flotilla.
“I am Saad Edhi, a Pakistani citizen,” he said in the recording. “If you are watching this video, it means that I have been intercepted or am being intercepted.” He characterized the mission as a “non-violent humanitarian aid mission” for Gaza. Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted on X on Monday that it “will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza.”
Earlier this week, Pakistan joined nine other countries — Turkiye, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Libya, Maldives, and Spain — in a joint statement by their foreign ministers condemning the interception. Israel has maintained a blockade of Gaza since 2007 and controls all entry points into the territory. Since the start of the current war, the enclave has faced acute shortages of food, medicine, and other essential supplies, with aid deliveries at times halted entirely by Israeli authorities.
Edhi’s return Saturday brought to a close a week of diplomatic maneuvering and public anxiety in Pakistan, where the Edhi name carries deep resonance. The Edhi Foundation, founded by his grandfather Abdul Sattar Edhi, has long been one of the country’s most respected charitable organizations, known for its ambulance service, orphanages, and emergency relief work across Pakistan and beyond.
Supporters at Jinnah International Airport described the homecoming as both a personal victory for the Edhi family and a broader symbol of solidarity with Palestinian civilians. Many in the crowd lingered after the initial greetings, embracing Saad Edhi and expressing gratitude that he had returned unharmed.
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