President Nikos Christodoulides has said Cyprus was not notified of the Israeli operation against the Gaza-bound flotilla but that the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) stands ready to respond if assistance is requested.
Speaking to journalists as he arrived at the In Business awards ceremony on Monday, Christodoulides was asked whether Cyprus had been informed of the operation against the flotilla in international waters off its coast and whether the Republic was involved. “No, we have not been notified, and of course if help is requested we will respond,” he said. “It is in international waters — if assistance is requested from the Republic of Cyprus, the JRCC is ready to respond.”
The JRCC had earlier issued a statement saying the flotilla had never entered Cypriot territorial waters, with all activity taking place in international waters approximately 90 nautical miles from Cyprus. The centre said it had received no distress signal requiring the activation of search and rescue procedures, but that it would respond in accordance with its international obligations if one was received.
AKEL condemned what it described as a new Israeli attack on the flotilla and accused the Christodoulides government of failing to utter a word condemning what it called the Netanyahu regime’s actions throughout the genocide in Gaza. The party called on the government to denounce the interception and align itself with the international community in demanding unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.
Earlier, activists had called for a protest outside the Presidential Palace at 7.00pm, demanding that Cypriot authorities exercise what they described as their legal mandate to protect civilians on board flotilla vessels.
The Global Sumud Flotilla Cyprus said the interception had taken place within Cyprus’s Search and Rescue zone and that there was an imminent risk to civilians on the vessels, triggering what the organisation described as legal duties on the Cypriot government to respond.
The JRCC statement placed the vessels 90 nautical miles offshore, in international waters.
Background
Monday’s interception was the latest in a series of Israeli naval attacks against the convoy. Earlier in the day, Israeli navy commandos boarded a vessel from the flotilla off the coast of Cyprus, according to video footage circulating online. Israel had warned participants they must “change course and return immediately.” The Global Flotilla said two warships had been spotted surrounding its vessels and that contact had been lost with one ship “which was being harassed by the Israeli military.”
The flotilla set out from Italy in April with over 50 boats aiming to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid. In an earlier interception off Crete on April 30, Israeli forces used drones, communications jamming technology and armed raiding parties to halt vessels in the Mediterranean. Two flotilla leaders — Palestinian activist Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila — were taken to Israel and jailed following that operation.
Israel has dismissed the flotilla as a media stunt, saying organisers rejected calls to hand over their aid to Israel or international organisations for legal entry into Gaza through official channels.
Turkey labelled earlier seizures an “act of piracy,” while Spain called them “illegal” and Germany and Italy expressed “grave concern.” Amnesty International called the interceptions “brazen and unlawful.”
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