Some of the Irish activists detained by Israel after taking part in a flotilla that attempted to bring aid to Gaza are due to return to Dublin this afternoon.Fourteen Irish citizens, including Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly, were among the more than 430 people deported from Israel to Turkey on Thursday.The activists were arrested at a port in southern Israel after the Israeli navy intercepted dozens of vessels in international waters on Monday. Margaret Connolly (left), sister of President Catherine Connolly, arrived at Istanbul Airport, Turkey on Thursday after being arrested in international waters and detained by Israel while travelling on the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla. Photograph: Murad Sezer/Reuters Their treatment by ​police officers, under the direction of Israel’s minister of national security Itamar Ben-Gvir, drew an international outcry and a rebuke from Israel’s prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu.The Israeli foreign ministry later confirmed all the activists had been deported and footage of them arriving in Turkey was shared by the Global Sumud Flotilla, the ‌organiser ​of the aid shipment, on social media.Israel’s prison service on Friday denied allegations that some of the detained activists were subjected to abuse, with several people ‌hospitalised with injuries and at least 15 reporting sexual assaults.“All prisoners and detainees are held in accordance with the law, with full regard for their basic rights and under the supervision of professional and trained prison staff,” it said. Global Sumud Flotilla said the group had documented at least 15 cases of sexual abuse, with the worst occurring on one Israeli landing craft which had been converted into a makeshift prison with barbed wire and shipping containers.Detainees were thrown into the containers and beaten over the head and ribs, the group said in a statement.They suffered multiple ⁠cases of sexual abuse, including “humiliating strip-searches, sexual taunting, groping and pulling of genitals, and multiple ​accounts of rape”, the organisers claimed. Irish activist Catriona Graham alleged that she and other activists were subjected to violence and psychological torture after being detained by Israel.“At various points there was a clear reality anyone could be attacked ... We had one person shot with a rubber bullet for crossing a line we had no idea we weren’t meant to cross, so it was very clear they were ready to use violence,” she told RTÉ.A widely circulated video showed a detained Graham standing up and chanting “free, free Palestine” at Ben-Gvir, before being restrained by soldiers and pushed back down by the head to a kneeling position.Israel's national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (centre) was criticised over the treatment of activists arrested by Israeli authorities while participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla. Photograph: Hannibal Hanschke/EPA Palestine activist Greta Thunberg on Friday described the video of Ben-Gvir as “beyond appalling”.Thunberg, who has participated in previous Gaza aid flotillas, dismissed claims by the Israeli government that the manner of detention was not in line with Israeli values.“They are a society built on genocide, ethnic cleansing and apartheid. What treatment would be in line with their values?” she asked.