Israel Releases Most Activists Detained From Gaza Aid Flotilla in Greece

Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a convoy of boats carrying aid to Gaza, in international waters near Crete on Thursday. The operation involved boarding and disabling several vessels, leading to the detention of approximately 175 activists from various nationalities.

Most were released in Greece, but two men remain in Israeli custody for suspected affiliations or illegal activities. The flotilla, organized by the Global Sumud Flotilla group, set sail two weeks ago from ports in Spain, France, and Italy, with a total of 58 vessels initially involved.

Organizers stated the goal was to challenge Israel's naval blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid. Israel maintains the blockade is lawful and necessary, and its foreign ministry said an initial inspection found materials appearing to be drugs and contraceptives on board.

All detained activists disembarked in Crete, except for the two men being brought to Israel for questioning. The Global Sumud Flotilla called for their immediate release, describing the interceptions as a violent raid that left some boats stranded amid an approaching storm.

Greek authorities facilitated the release, providing diplomatic assistance to ensure the safe return of the activists to their home countries. Sources indicated that the released group, including men and women from countries such as Greece and Australia, was transported by naval vessel to the southern coast of Crete.

They were expected to be accommodated in Heraklion before arrangements for repatriation. The flotilla organizers reported that participants were mistreated during detention. Israel's foreign ministry accused the flotilla organizers of aligning with Hamas to sabotage President Trump's Gaza peace plan and divert attention from Hamas's refusal to disarm.

The ministry emphasized that the operation was carried out peacefully without casualties and was required to prevent a breach of the blockade. The incident echoes a previous flotilla interception last October, when Israel arrested and deported more than 470 people, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

The current flotilla aimed to open a permanent humanitarian corridor and pressure governments complicit in the blockade's enforcement.

However, a senior UN official reported that Gaza's 2.1 million people face ongoing Israeli strikes and dire humanitarian conditions, with food security challenges and essential services like water, sanitation, and health on the brink of collapse. Last August, experts from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification confirmed a famine in Gaza City.

Improvements in nutrition followed an October ceasefire as part of President Trump's Gaza peace plan, reducing the number of people in catastrophic conditions from 100,000 in December to a projected 1,900 by mid-April. The Gaza conflict began with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.

Israel's military response has resulted in more than 72,600 deaths in Gaza, including 824 since the ceasefire, according to the territory's health ministry. Israel countered that the large number of vessels posed a risk of escalation, necessitating early intervention.

Greek authorities had prepared since early Friday to receive the detainees, with buses ready for transport. The remaining 36 boats from the flotilla were near Crete's southern coast following the incident.