Israel deports five Bahraini activists among the Gaza-bound humanitarian convoy it had earlier seized on charge of violating its 'territorial waters'.

On Friday, the five, who allegedly include a reporter for the Doha-based satellite TV channel, al-Jazeera, were taken out of Israel custody to be taken back to their homeland via the Ben Gurion airport south of Tel Aviv, the Palestinian Ma'an news agency reported.

They had traveled to the blockade-stricken coastal sliver among the international Free Gaza Movement aid convoy.

Earlier in the week, Israeli battleships circled the movement's Greek-flagged vessel, Spirit of Humanity which was sailing in international waters.

Israeli marines then took hold of the ship capturing its 22 crewmembers who included former US lawmaker Cynthia McKinney, Irish Nobel peace prize laureate Mairead Maguire and several other human rights activists.

"They kidnapped all on board, they tore the Greek flag off the boat then incarcerated them. To say we are angry would be an extreme understatement," the movement's spokesman Greta Berlin told The Cyprus Mail.

The vessel was carrying medial supplies, cement, olive trees and children's toys to Gaza which has weathered nearly two years of all-out Israeli-imposed siege which has deprived it of all necessities.

Tel Aviv says it is to eventually deport most of the group. The members, though, have refused to sign deportation forms put forward to them saying it was equal to agreeing to the Israeli charges that they were violating the blockade and trespassing territorial waters.

HN/MP/MMA