Mandla Mandela, grandson of the late South African president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, has returned home after being detained and deported by Israeli authorities for participating in a flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Mandela, 51, arrived at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday alongside four other South Africans who were part of the international mission. The group was reportedly held in an Israeli prison for six days before being released via Jordan.

Speaking to journalists upon his arrival, Mandela described the group’s treatment during their detention:

We were handcuffed with cable ties tied tightly behind our backs, taken off our boats, put on the platform and paraded for all to see,” he said, greeted by cheering supporters waving Palestinian flags.Despite the ordeal, Mandela emphasized that their experience pales in comparison to the suffering endured by Palestinians amid Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza.

It’s nothing compared to what Palestinians have been subjected to on a daily basis,” he added.

The flotilla, composed of several international activists and humanitarian workers, was reportedly intercepted by Israeli naval forces in international waters while attempting to deliver food and medical supplies to Gaza, where aid access remains heavily restricted.

Israeli officials have defended their actions, claiming that the flotilla was a “publicity stunt” designed to benefit Hamas, which governs the enclave. They also dismissed reports of mistreatment and widespread hunger in Gaza as “exaggerated.”

Among those detained alongside Mandela were activists from multiple countries, including Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg, who was also deported following the incident.

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) condemned Israel’s actions, saying it would lodge a formal diplomatic protest. The department reiterated South Africa’s support for the Palestinian cause and called for an end to what it described as “collective punishment and violations of international law” in Gaza.

Mandela, who has long been a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights, vowed to continue advocating for justice and humanitarian access in the region.

The spirit of solidarity that united us on those boats will not be broken. The world must not look away,” he said.