A crew member of the Vivy Sabre has alleged that Israeli commandos attacked the vessel while it was sailing in international waters, after it attempted to carry humanitarian aid to Gaza as part of an international flotilla.
The Vivy Sabre, part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, arrived at Paphos harbour shortly after midnight on Monday. The crew had set sail from a port in Sicily, having previously visited Marmaris on the Turkish Aegean coast. Together with around 50 other vessels, they attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Crew member Danielle Gallina alleged the vessel came under attack from Israeli commandos in international waters. The Vivy Sabre had separated from the rest of the flotilla due to technical problems before the raid by Israeli forces, and subsequently made it back to Paphos.
One crew member received medical treatment, according to the same account. The Cyprus News Agency (CNA) reported that two crew members returned home on Tuesday evening — two of the three Italians on board.
The remaining crew — one Italian, one Spaniard, one Moroccan and one Mexican — are staying in Pafos while they await instructions on the vessel’s departure. The Vivy Sabre remains anchored at Kato Paphos harbour.
The Global Sumud Flotilla Cyprus said the interception took place within Cyprus’s Search and Rescue (SAR) zone and called on the Cypriot government to exercise what it described as its legal mandate to ensure the safety of civilians on board, saying there was an imminent risk to those on the vessels. Activists called a protest outside the Presidential Palace in Nicosia for 7.00pm on Monday.
Cyprus’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) said on Monday it had received no distress signal from flotilla vessels requiring activation of search and rescue procedures under the National Plan “NEARHOS.” The JRCC said the flotilla had not entered Cypriot territorial waters, with all activity taking place in international waters approximately 90 nautical miles from Cyprus. It added that should a distress signal be received, it would respond in accordance with its international obligations. The same argument was reiterated by President Christodoulides.
Cyprus’s left-wing opposition party 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.
The convoy set out from Italy in April with over 50 boats aiming to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. In earlier interceptions, Israeli forces used drones, communications jamming technology and armed raiding parties to halt vessels in the Mediterranean. Israel has dismissed the flotilla as a media stunt and said there is no humanitarian gap that it is filling.
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