Israel Border:
Four Lebanese detainees, captured during Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza bound aid flotilla, were released back on Lebanese soil on Wednesday.
The group, including two journalists from the Al Jazeera television network, was given a hero's welcome as they arrived at the Nagoura border crossing with Israel.
A large crowd of people, including supporters of Hezbollah, gathered around the Red Cross led convoy as it passed through the border crossing.
The convoy included an ambulance which carried one of the injured Lebanese activists to a nearby hospital.
Al Jazeera journalist Abbas Nasser was embraced by the crowd on his arrival and showered with rose petals.
"We were willing to say to them the word no, and we told them 'no' and this was our message, and I am now wondering how much it was the echo of this world, as you can tell from the crowds here," he said.
The four's release came as Israel continued to deport the hundreds of activists seized from the aid ships.
Turkish and Greek protesters were to fly home on special planes sent by their respective governments, while others from the nearly 20 nationalities on the ships were mostly travelling on commercial flights.
Three ambulance planes heading to Turkey were the first to take off on Wednesday, with four other planes ready to embark, Israeli officials said.
In all, 527 activists were being deported by air, an Interior ministry spokeswoman said, while seven wounded activists were remaining behind in Israeli hospitals.
Israel has come under harsh international condemnation after its commandos stormed the six-ship aid flotilla on Monday in international waters, setting off clashes that killed nine activists and wounded dozens.
The nearly 700 activists, including 400 Turks, were trying to break the three-year-old Israeli and Egyptian naval blockade of the Gaza Strip by bringing in 10-thousand tons of aid.
Israel rejects claims that Gaza is experiencing a humanitarian crisis, saying it allows more than enough food, medicines and supplies into the territory.
The group, including two journalists from the Al Jazeera television network, was given a hero's welcome as they arrived at the Nagoura border crossing with Israel.
A large crowd of people, including supporters of Hezbollah, gathered around the Red Cross led convoy as it passed through the border crossing.
The convoy included an ambulance which carried one of the injured Lebanese activists to a nearby hospital.
Al Jazeera journalist Abbas Nasser was embraced by the crowd on his arrival and showered with rose petals.
"We were willing to say to them the word no, and we told them 'no' and this was our message, and I am now wondering how much it was the echo of this world, as you can tell from the crowds here," he said.
The four's release came as Israel continued to deport the hundreds of activists seized from the aid ships.
Turkish and Greek protesters were to fly home on special planes sent by their respective governments, while others from the nearly 20 nationalities on the ships were mostly travelling on commercial flights.
Three ambulance planes heading to Turkey were the first to take off on Wednesday, with four other planes ready to embark, Israeli officials said.
In all, 527 activists were being deported by air, an Interior ministry spokeswoman said, while seven wounded activists were remaining behind in Israeli hospitals.
Israel has come under harsh international condemnation after its commandos stormed the six-ship aid flotilla on Monday in international waters, setting off clashes that killed nine activists and wounded dozens.
The nearly 700 activists, including 400 Turks, were trying to break the three-year-old Israeli and Egyptian naval blockade of the Gaza Strip by bringing in 10-thousand tons of aid.
Israel rejects claims that Gaza is experiencing a humanitarian crisis, saying it allows more than enough food, medicines and supplies into the territory.
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