Israeli Forces Intercept Pro-Palestinian Flotilla Near Crete, Detaining 175 Activists

All but two pro-Palestinian activists detained by Israeli forces after their flotilla headed for Gaza was intercepted in international waters have now been released in Greece. On Thursday, around 175 activists aboard 22 boats carrying aid were seized near the island of Crete. The organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) denounced the action as "piracy", saying members were seized unlawfully more than 965km (600 miles) from Gaza, which is under an Israeli naval blockade. Israel's foreign ministry called the flotilla a "PR stunt". All the detained activists have disembarked in Crete, apart from two men who are being brought to Israel "for questioning", according to the Israeli government. Israel's foreign ministry said that one of the men, Saif Abu Keshek, was "suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organisation" and the other, Thiago Ávila, was "suspected of illegal activity". Both men remain in Israeli custody. The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) called for the immediate release of Abu Keshek and Ávila. The group said: "We demand that all governments do all they can to pressure the Israeli regime to release all the illegal abductees." It confirmed that all other members of the captured flotilla boats had been released on the Greek island of Crete. Israel said about 175 people had been detained, while the GSF previously said "over 180 civilians from around the world have been directly attacked". Greek authorities had been preparing to receive people from the flotilla since the early hours of Friday morning. The group - men and women of various nationalities, including some Greeks and Australians - is being transported by naval vessel to the southern coast of Crete, where they are expected to arrive at Atherinolakkos. Buses are waiting to take them onward. According to sources who spoke to the BBC, their final destination is Heraklion, where they are expected to be temporarily accommodated before arrangements are made for their return to their home countries. On Thursday, the Greek foreign ministry said it had offered "diplomatic assistance" by agreeing to host the passengers and ensure their safe return home. The United States backed Israel's decision to intercept the boats, with State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott calling the aid flotilla a "meaningless political stunt". The flotilla set sail two weeks ago, with a total of 58 vessels joining from Spain, France and Italy, aiming to break Israel's blockade of Gaza. The remaining 36 boats were close to Crete's southern coast on Friday. The GSF said that Israeli naval forces had "intercepted, boarded, and systematically disabled and destroyed various boats" in the flotilla during a "violent raid in international waters" north-west of Crete on Thursday. "After detaining participants, smashing an engine and jamming communications, the [Israeli forces] retreated, kidnapping participants or intentionally leaving civilians stranded on powerless, broken vessels directly in the path of a massive approaching storm." Israel insists its actions comply with international law. The Israeli foreign ministry said that "due to the large numbers of vessels participating in the flotilla and the risk of escalation, and the need to prevent the breach of a lawful blockade, an early action was required". "The operation was carried out in international waters peacefully and without any casualties. An initial inspection of the vessels revealed materials that appear to be drugs and contraceptives," it added. The ministry accused the flotilla's organisers of "joining hands" with the Palestinian armed group Hamas "with the aim of sabotaging President Trump's [Gaza] peace plan transition to its second phase and intended to divert attention from Hamas's refusal to disarm". On Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had demanded Israel immediately release "all the unlawfully detained Italians". Pedro Sánchez, prime minister of Spain, said his government was doing "everything necessary to protect and assist the detained Spaniards", and accused Israel of "violating international law". Israel stopped the previous flotilla set up by the GSF from reaching Gaza last October, arresting and then deporting more than 470 people who were on board, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. According to the GSF, the latest flotilla's objectives are to "challenge Israel's illegal blockade, advance the opening of a permanent humanitarian corridor, and intensify coordinated international pressure on governments and corporations complicit in its enforcement". Cogat, the Israeli defence body that controls Gaza's land crossings, said Israel was facilitating the entry of aid into Gaza and that there was "no limit on the amount of aid that can enter". Earlier this week, a senior UN official said Gaza's 2.1 million people were "facing ongoing and deadly Israeli strikes and dire humanitarian conditions", despite "some improvements in access and aid delivery". "Food security remains a challenge, while essential services, particularly water, sanitation, and health, are again on the brink of collapse," UN Assistant Secretary General Khaled Khiari told the Security Council. In December, they said there had been improvements in nutrition and food supplies following a ceasefire agreed by Israel and Hamas in October as part of US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, but that 100,000 people were still experiencing catastrophic conditions. That figure was projected to decrease to 1,900 by mid-April. Additional reporting by Nikos Papanikolaou