Israeli navy moves 168 flotilla crew to Greek boats; taken ashore safely by buses<\/p>\n
A Greek Coast Guard vessel transfers activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted on international waters by the Israeli Navy, at the port of Atherinolakkos, on the island of Crete, Greece, May 1, 2026. PHOTO:\u00a0 REUTERS <\/p>\n
More than 100 pro-Palestinian \u200bactivists aboard boats carrying aid bound for Gaza were taken to the Greek island of Crete on Friday after Israeli forces \u200cseized their vessels in international waters near Greece, flotilla organisers said.<\/p>\n
The activists were part of a second Global Sumud flotilla<\/a>, launched in recent months in an attempt to break Israel\u2019s blockade of Gaza<\/a> by delivering humanitarian assistance. The ships set sail from the Spanish port of Barcelona on April 12.<\/p>\n On Friday, an Israeli army ship transferred 168 members of \u200bthe flotilla crew to Greek boats, which then took them to shore where buses and an ambulance waited for them, organisers said and Reuters<\/em> \u200bfootage showed.<\/p>\n Israel’s foreign ministry called the flotilla organisers “professional provocateurs” and said: “Israel will not allow the breach of the lawful \u2060naval blockade on Gaza.”<\/p>\n Two activists held<\/strong><\/p>\n Two activists were detained by Israeli authorities, according to statements from Israel and the organisers of the flotilla, who \u200bidentified them as Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national of Palestinian origin, and Brazilian Thiago Avila.<\/p>\n Spain’s Foreign Minister\u00a0Jose Manuel Albares\u00a0accused Israel of \u200billegally arresting Abu Keshek and demanded his immediate release.<\/p>\n Israel’s foreign ministry said Abu Keshek was suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organisation and Avila was suspected of illegal activity, adding that both would be taken to Israel for questioning.<\/p>\n In a post on their Telegram channel, organisers of the flotilla alleged that activists had been denied adequate food and \u200bwater and “forced to sleep on floors that were deliberately and repeatedly flooded” aboard an Israeli naval vessel, describing their treatment as “40 hours of calculated \u200bcruelty”.<\/p>\n Read More: <\/strong>Israel intercepts Gaza aid ships in international waters, organisers say<\/a><\/p>\n They said some suffered injuries, including broken noses and cracked ribs, when they were kicked and dragged across the deck with their hands tied after they tried \u200cto protest \u2060against the detention of their two fellow activists.<\/p>\n There was no immediate comment from Israel on the allegations of mistreatment.<\/p>\n Germany and Italy’s foreign ministries issued a joint statement saying they were following developments with “deep concern”.<\/p>\n Some vessels still trying to reach Gaza <\/strong><\/p>\n A source who asked not to be identified said that while 22 boats had been intercepted by Israel, 47 others were still sailing off southern Crete and planned to anchor there at some point before continuing \u200bonwards to Gaza. Each ship is \u200bcarrying about a tonne of food, \u2060medical and other equipment, the source said.<\/p>\n The 22 vessels were seized by Israel late on Wednesday in international waters off Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula, which is hundreds of miles from Gaza, the flotilla’s organisers said. In a statement \u200bon Thursday, the US State Department threatened “to impose consequences” against those who support the flotilla, which it cast \u200bas pro-Hamas.<\/p>\n Pro-Palestinian activists say \u2060Israel and the US\u00a0wrongly conflate their advocacy for Palestinian rights with support for Hamas.<\/p>\n