During the night, the Global Sumud Flotilla convoy was fired on by Israeli military boats west of the Greek island of Crete, over 1,000 kilometers from Gaza. According to the organizers, the Israeli navy "illegally surrounded the convoy in international waters and threatened kidnapping and violence." 211 activists have been "kidnapped" by Israel, spokeswoman Helene Coron said in a digital press conference.
On X, Israel's Foreign Ministry confirms that "around 175 activists from over 20 ships" have been taken into custody. It was initially announced that they would be taken to Israel.
But later, on Thursday evening Swedish time, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stated that the activists will be brought ashore in Greece.
"We thank the Greek government for its willingness to receive the convoy participants," wrote Sa'ar on X.
"Confused agitators"
Several Swedes are in the convoy and according to Ekot, one of them has been arrested. In posts on Instagram, the activists demanded that Sweden's Foreign Ministry take action against Israel's intervention.
However, the Swedes cannot expect any help from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at sea, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) said.
Spain's foreign ministry, for its part, condemned Israel's actions and summoned the country's chargé d'affaires in Madrid to protest. Italy also condemned Israel's "illegal detentions" and demanded the immediate release of detained Italian citizens.
Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon called the activists on board on X "a group of deranged attention-seeking agitators."
In total, the convoy consists of nearly 60 boats and over 400 people who set sail from Marseille, France, Barcelona, Spain, and Syracuse, Italy.
Thunberg: Flagrant crime
The aim, according to the organizers, is to deliver emergency aid and break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip. Israel controls all roads into Gaza and has been accused by the UN and international organizations of choking the flow of food, water, medicine and fuel to the Gaza Strip.
Last year, the Global Sumud Flotilla sailed towards Gaza. After the approximately 50 ships were boarded by the Israeli military, the crew members, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, were arrested and later deported by Israel.
"This is yet another flagrant violation of international maritime law," Thunberg said in a video on Instagram about Israel's intervention against the new convoy.
