Seoul: Israel has released two South Korean nationals captured while heading for the Gaza Strip aboard humanitarian aid vessels, the presidential office said Thursday, welcoming their release. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung announced their release at a press briefing a day after the Lina Al Nabulsi, carrying South Korean activist Kim Ah-hyun and Korean American activist Jonathan Victor Lee, was intercepted by the Israeli military in waters near the Gaza Strip.

According to Yonhap News Agency, two days earlier, Israeli forces seized another aid boat, the Kyriakos X, which was carrying South Korean activist Kim Dong-hyeon, among other activists from around the world. The release of these individuals comes amidst tensions surrounding the aid efforts directed towards the Gaza Strip. The incident drew attention to the ongoing challenges faced by humanitarian missions in conflict zones.