Athens, Greece. Flotilla organisers said Israel intercepted aid ships bound for Gaza in international waters near Greece, calling the move an escalation. Israel said its forces acted lawfully to prevent a breach of a lawful blockade.
Flotilla route and seizure location
The ships were part of a second Global Sumud flotilla that organisers said aimed to break an Israeli blockade by carrying humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. The vessels sailed from the Spanish port of Barcelona on April 12, organisers said.
Organisers said the vessels were seized late on Wednesday in international waters off Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula, hundreds of miles from Gaza.
Organisers’ allegations
“This is piracy,” the group said in a statement, describing the seizure as “the unlawful seizure of human beings on the open sea near Crete.” The organisers said no state had the right to claim, police, or occupy international waters, and said Israel was extending its control into the Mediterranean Sea off Europe’s coast.
Israel’s response
Israel’s foreign ministry called the flotilla organisers “professional provocateurs” and said its forces acted lawfully.
“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 in accordance with international law,” it said.
Footage and Greek government statement
Footage released by the organisers showed Israeli soldiers boarding a vessel and crew in life vests with their hands up, after which crew members were taken to Israeli ships.
Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said 55 vessels were sailing about 50 nautical miles off the Peloponnese toward Crete late on Wednesday, shadowed by Israeli warships and Greek coastguard vessels. He said crew from 17 vessels were safe aboard Israeli warships and that Athens had not been notified of the interception, which he said took place outside Greek jurisdiction.
What do you think should determine when a naval interception in international waters is lawful?