At the same time, the condition of the members of the Greek delegation remains unknown, after their boats were stopped in international waters southwest of Cyprus. In a written intervention to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, relatives and friends of the detainees are requesting an immediate and official position from the ministry regarding those abducted.

Following Israel’s seizure of the Freedom Flotilla vessels heading to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid, some participants reported that they came under gunfire while sailing in international waters. According to the same post, the activists, with their hands raised, shouted at Israeli forces: ‘Don’t shoot.’

The organisers said in a statement that fire from Israeli forces put the activists’ lives in immediate danger.

March to Gaza also published a statement denouncing that the Israeli army had opened fire on the protesters, putting their lives at risk.

The March to Gaza Greece post reads:

‘Members of the Global Sumud Flotilla are under fire at sea!

‘Brutal violence by the Israeli army against volunteers who travelled with solidarity and love in their hearts for justice and freedom.

‘With their hands raised, the participants shouted: “Don’t shoot.”

‘This is an attack against humanity.

‘This is the face of apartheid: when those trying to save lives are met with bullets. When humanitarian aid is blocked with violence. When international law becomes tattered paper.

‘Israel openly boasted that it would target people.

‘We cannot stand by while this is normalised.

‘Don’t stop talking about Palestine. Solidarity will win.’

The condition of the members of the Greek delegation of the Global Sumud Flotilla remains unknown, following the immobilisation of their boats by the Israeli occupation army in an international maritime zone southwest of Cyprus.

According to March to Gaza, which also published an audio recording, the crews repeatedly sent out MAYDAY distress signals. However, the Cypriot coast guard did not provide assistance, even though the Israeli intervention took place within Cyprus’s search and rescue area of responsibility.

Regarding the Greek delegation, the first Greek vessel to be seized, Arna’s Children, was carrying Gabriel Papoutsakis. Israeli forces also seized Bellela, which was carrying the largest number of Greek citizens: Yiannis Atmatzidis, Odysseas Iliopoulos, Dimitris Bitoulas-Kourousis, Anna Lagonikou, Vangelis Theodoratos, Kostis Plevris, Giorgos Tsiris and Vicky Kotsori.

This was followed by attacks on the vessel Intifada, carrying Christina Desi-Loukas, Ioannis Dapolas, Pantelis Raphael-Vlachas and Fevronia Vokali, and on Birzeit, which was carrying three Greek nationals: Jason Gousetis, Helen Tsianta and Antonios Vradis.

Three more people from Greece were on the vessel Kyriakos X, which was sailing under the Polish flag and was also seized. They are Ioannis Pantazopoulos, Dimitrios Kotsopoulos and Konstantinos Kalaremas.

In a written intervention to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, relatives and friends of the detained individuals requested an immediate and official position from the ministry regarding the actions taken by the Greek government to defend their rights and safety, the diplomatic and consular moves that have been put into effect, and the efforts being made for their immediate and safe return to Greece.

‘Given that these are Greek citizens participating in a peaceful humanitarian mission, we consider it self-evident that the Greek government should immediately mobilise for their protection and safe return,’ they note in their letter.

‘We expect your immediate response due to the seriousness and urgency of the situation,’ the letter concludes.

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