May 1, 2026, 11:44 amMay 1, 2026, 11:44 am
Ships from the auxiliary fleet, here still in the port of Barcelona. (Archive image, April 2026)Image: keystone
Around 30 boats from the so-called “Global Sumud Flotilla” with Gaza aid have arrived in the port of Ierapetra in southeast Crete. At the dpa’s request, the organizers had previously informed the flotilla that it had reached safe waters and was currently regrouping. She was fully prepared to continue her journey “to break the illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip,” it said.
Data from an online tracker run by the initiators of the flotilla and the ship tracking system Marine Traffic also show that parts of the boat group have entered the Bay of Ierapetra. It was initially unclear how long the activist fleet would stay in Ierapetra.
Image: sc/globalsumudflotilla
The Israeli Navy intercepted more than 20 ships from the “Global Sumud Flotilla” on Thursday night and said it arrested 175 people. Greece agreed to accept those arrested by the Israeli Navy and to allow their return to their countries of origin. As Greek media consistently reported, these people were taken to the small port of Atherinolakos in the extreme southeast of Crete on Friday. You should then travel to the Cretan port city of Heraklion.
The Israeli action against the international ship association with Gaza aid supplies in the Mediterranean caused great concern in Berlin and Rome. A joint statement suggests that stopping the flotilla in international waters may not be consistent with international law from the perspective of the two governments. (sda/dpa)