The news of the release of seven Australian citizens detained by Israeli authorities after they joined the Gaza aid flotilla came late in the night [[7 Oct]].
It was a call that Julie Webb Pullman had been anxiously waiting for - confirmation that her daughter Dr Bianca Webb Pullman had been released.
"I was just so relieved. I was very concerned about what sort of condition they might be in, having not eaten. She had been on a hunger strike along with many of them. Water that they had access to was contaminated. So she was nauseous and sick and all that sort of thing. I was pretty concerned about what sort of physical condition she might be in. But she says she is fine. I think they're just all so glad to be out."
A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong has confirmed the release of the Australians - who were among the group of 131 activists released after the Global Sumud Flotilla was intercepted in international waters by Israel's military last week.
There remain seven people in detention from the 479 originally detained.
Ms Pullman says it has been frustrating getting information about her daughter's situation from officials with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - but help of Australian consular staff in Jordan in the last 12 hours has been invaluable.
"She was able to convey she was okay. And that she was really relieved to be out. And they at that point, the (Australian) embassy took them all to be checked over at a hospital. A Red Cross hospital, I think. So that was a very good thing that the Australian consular officials did to make sure that they were all in good health. They had a general physical checkup. And she was in that process when she spoke to me."
Accounts of the conditions of the detention have now emerged from activists who have since returned home after being among the first to be deported from Israel.
Many of the activists were held at the Ketziot high-security prison in southern Israel, which is used to detain Palestinians who are accused by Israel of being involved in terrorist activities.
In Stockholm, environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg says she didn't get clean water - and other detainees were deprived of critical medication.
"We are now many who are safe and released from imprisonment and absurd mistreatment. But many of our comrades from the Global Sumud Flotilla are not, and they need to be released now. But most importantly, we are not the story. Thousands of Palestinians are currently being held in Israeli dungeons without a trial. Hundreds of which are children. Millions are living trapped under an illegal siege."
Arriving at Istanbul Airport, Malaysian activist Iylia Balqis says the protocols detainees were subjected to were degrading.
"It's very disgusting how they treated us in the prison. They had a very much protocol, so-called protocol just to make us feel so disgusted with ourselves. And we had to change our clothes. And then they will put us into a cage under a very sunny bright. And then they didn't treat us as a hijabi. Some of our Muslim women, they even denied their hijab. And then when we were in cell, they didn't even give us clean water and also medicine. Even when we asked and one woman was in serious dire need of medicine, they denied it. They say if she didn't die yet, then it's okay. And then we had to drink from the tap water in the toilet."
Human rights barrister, Jen Robinson is representing the seven Australian flotilla activists - Abubakir Rafiq, Juliet Lamont, Hamish Paterson, Surya McEwan, Bianca Webb-Pullman, Cameron Tribe and Dan Adler.
She says the treatment experienced by the group included multiple instances of rights violations.
"The seven Australian humanitarians participating in the Global Flotilla were intercepted by Israel in international waters in violation of international law. We have since received shocking accounts of human rights violations committed during their arrest and detention. This has included inhuman and degrading treatment, physical abuse, sleep deprivation, threats of sexual violence, insufficient or unclean food and water, the confiscation of medicines."
Assistant Foreign Minister Matt Thistlethwaite earlier said the Australian government officials had conveyed views to the Israeli government [[through consular staff]] that the Australians detained should be treated in accordance with international law - and released as quickly as possible.
Israel's foreign ministry released a series of statements, including earlier ones which said the detained activists were "safe and in good health".
In a later statement, it denied allegations of torture and mistreatment.
"All the legal rights of the participants in this PR stunt are fully upheld. Don’t believe the fake news they are spreading."
Organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla say that it is the largest maritime mission to Gaza to date: 51 ships and delegations from at least 44 countries.
Now another convoy of boats, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, is sailing towards Gaza, with a similar mission of carrying humanitarian supplies.
Onboard the ship Conscience with nearly 100 people is freelance journalist and human rights lawyer Thomas Becker.
He says there is concern for what they might face from Israeli authorities as they approach Gaza, but those on board the vessel are determined to complete their mission regardless.
"Our ship's a little different than some of the other ships. All the ships have some level of humanitarian aid they're bringing. We are certainly bringing humanitarian aid, but most people on our ship are either medics or journalists. So we're going with a mission not only to deliver the aid but actually to do the work that, unfortunately, Israel is really blocked a lot of folks from doing. The blackout of international media has been pretty devastating. So a lot of journalists are arriving to document what's happening. And then the attacks on hospitals and clinics. Doctors here are planning to arrive in Gaza and help people that are really struggling in this war."
