Greece Transfers 175 Gaza Flotilla Activists to Crete

Greece transferred 175 Global Sumud Flotilla activists to Heraklion aft they came ashore successful confederate Crete. Credit: Global Sumud Flotilla

Greece transferred 175 activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla to Heraklion aft they came ashore astatine the larboard of Atherinolakkos successful confederate Crete, pursuing an Israeli subject cognition against Gaza-bound vessels successful planetary waters disconnected the land aboriginal Thursday, April 30.

The passengers, men and women of assorted nationalities, including Greek citizens, had joined a flotilla carrying humanitarian assistance toward Gaza. After Israeli subject forces intervened, a landing vessel carried them to the confederate seashore of Crete, wherever buses waited to proceed their transfer.

Heraklion was their last destination. There, authorities planned to big them temporarily earlier launching procedures for their instrumentality to their countries of origin.

Greece coordinates transportation of Flotilla activists successful Crete

Greek authorities handled the accomplishment and transportation done a wide cognition involving forces from crossed Crete.

The Hellenic Coast Guard, the Greek Police and different competent services took portion successful the operation, portion authorities maintained continuous coordination passim the process.

According to reports, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis spoke by telephone connected Thursday nighttime with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, earlier the disembarkation process moved forward.

Flotilla activists accidental Israeli forces surrounded vessels disconnected Crete

The Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli subject forces intercepted the ngo successful planetary waters adjacent Crete.

According to the organizers, subject speedboats approached their vessels and identified themselves arsenic Israeli. The flotilla said the forces pointed lasers and semi-automatic battle weapons astatine participants and ordered them to determination to the beforehand of the boats and get connected their hands and knees.

In a societal media post, the ngo said Israeli subject boats surrounded the flotilla successful planetary waters and accused them of threatening kidnapping and violence. Organizers besides said they had mislaid connection with 15 vessels, portion Israeli media reported that 7 boats had been intercepted.

The flotilla called connected governments to enactment to support the participants.

Greek Foreign Ministry cites planetary law

The Greek Foreign Ministry said it sent a delegation to the flotilla’s accomplishment constituent to coordinate the actions of each competent Greek authorities and enactment with overseas consular services.

In a connection issued Thursday night, the ministry called for restraint and afloat respect for planetary law, including the instrumentality of the oversea and planetary humanitarian law, aft the Israeli cognition against vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla successful planetary waters disconnected Crete.

The ministry said Greece, acting arsenic a origin of stableness successful the portion and guided by planetary instrumentality and humanitarian considerations, asked Israel to retreat its vessels from the area.

Athens besides offered its bully offices by agreeing to person the passengers connected Greek territory and guarantee their harmless instrumentality to their location countries.

Greek authorities said they remained successful interaction with Israeli authorities regarding the harmless disembarkation of the passengers successful Greece. They besides informed overseas consular authorities truthful they could proceed with their ain actions.

Israel acknowledgment Greece for receiving the passengers

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel had truthful acold successfully prevented attempts to interruption what helium described arsenic the lawful naval blockade of Gaza.

In a societal media post, Sa’ar said the radical transferred from the flotilla vessels to an Israeli vessel would disembark connected a Greek enactment successful the pursuing hours, successful coordination with the Greek government.

So far, Israel – done the IDF – has successfully blocked attempts to breach the lawful naval blockade connected Gaza and the accomplishment of vessels from the provocative flotilla, including past night.
All participants successful the provocative flotilla who were taken disconnected the vessels were taken…

— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) April 30, 2026

He thanked the Greek authorities for its willingness to person the flotilla participants and said Israel would not let the naval blockade of Gaza to beryllium broken.