Greek pro-Palestinian activists participating in the flotilla to Gaza and detained at sea by Israeli forces disembarked in Israel, where Greek diplomats are offering assistance, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
Ministry spokeswoman Lana Zochiou stated that Greek citizens aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels, which were intercepted in the Eastern Mediterranean, disembarked at the Israeli port of Ashdod for identification and registration by local authorities. She added that the Greek ambassador to Israel, a close ally of Greece, will travel to Ashdod on Thursday to provide direct aid.
“The Foreign Ministry will ensure that every consular assistance is provided, and will take action so that their repatriation is carried out as fast as possible,” Zochiou said. Greece has formally summoned Israel to ensure the security of its citizens, demanding that “the principles of international law are fully adhered to, and that the Greek citizens’ dignity and rights are respected.”
While reports suggest that nineteen Greek nationals may be involved in the flotilla mission, the spokesperson noted that the figure has not yet been officially confirmed and will be verified during the registration process.
High-seas interceptions and allegations of force
The Greek detainees were part of a larger international effort that culminated earlier this week, following an operation where Israeli forces intercepted all remaining vessels of the activist flotilla. The initiative was organized to highlight the grim living conditions of nearly two million Palestinians facing severe shortages of housing, food, and medicine in Gaza.
According to the flotilla’s website, Israeli forces began stopping the vessels, which departed last week from Turkey, roughly 167 miles (268 kilometers) from the Gaza coastline. On Monday, the Israeli navy had already halted some 41 boats in international waters off Cyprus, detaining those on board. By Tuesday and early Wednesday, the remaining ships were boarded.
A live feed from the organizers’ website showed armed Israeli soldiers boarding the vessels as activists in life vests raised their hands. Soldiers were then seen destroying cameras mounted on the ships. Flotilla organizers claimed Israeli forces fired on five boats during the interdictions, causing some damage.
The Global Sumud Flotilla organizers stated Wednesday that hundreds of detained activists from over forty nations were “being forcibly transported” by an Israeli ship to an Israeli port. The group has demanded the “immediate, unconditional release of all our participants, alongside the more than 9,000 unjustly detained Palestinian political prisoners,” calling on world leaders to pressure Israel.
Organizers also raised “grave and immediate concerns” regarding the physical safety of those currently held. They cited testimonies from a previous group of activists detained during an April 30 interdiction, who alleged “patterns of torture, severe physical abuse and invasive sexual violence” by Israeli forces—allegations that Israel has strongly denied.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
