Greece disclaims responsibility for intervention in Israeli attack on the "Freedom Flotilla"

The Greek government announced on Thursday its disavowal of intervention in the attack carried out by Israeli forces against the ships of the "Global Freedom Flotilla" in international waters. Athens affirmed that it does not have the legal authority to confront this military action, which occurred near the Greek island of Crete.

During a press conference held in the capital, Athens, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis clarified that Israeli warships were operating in an area northwest of Crete. He pointed out that this area is outside Greece's territorial waters, which limits the ability of national forces to act.

Marinakis revealed that the Israeli side did not conduct any prior consultations with the Greek authorities before commencing the military operation against the activists. He also noted that the flotilla's boats did not report being in any imminent danger before the attack, which he used to justify the lack of immediate intervention.

The government spokesman stressed that the role of the Greek Coast Guard in international waters is strictly limited to search and rescue operations in accordance with international treaties. He explained that maritime navigation laws grant judicial and security jurisdiction to the state whose flag the ship flies, not to neighboring countries.

Official sources reported that diplomatic communication between the foreign ministries of Greece and Israel ultimately led to the withdrawal of Israeli ships from the area. This move came hours after intense tension prevailed in the vital maritime region of southern Europe.

Regarding the details of the field movements, Marinakis stated that the Search and Rescue Coordination Center responded to a distress call from one of the flotilla's ships 60 miles from Crete. A patrol boat was immediately dispatched to the location to assess the situation and provide necessary assistance to the participants.

Despite the arrival of the Greek boats, the leaders of the flotilla's ships informed the authorities via radio communications that they did not currently wish for security escort. The activists confirmed that they were not in a state of danger that warranted Coast Guard intervention, which prompted the Greek side to back down from taking additional measures.

Greek radars detected about 55 boats belonging to the flotilla, which were sailing on Wednesday evening accompanied by four hostile Israeli warships. This naval force was located 50 nautical miles southwest of Cape Tainaron, the southernmost point of mainland Greece.

The government confirmed that three Coast Guard patrol boats were present in the surrounding area to closely monitor developments. These reinforcements aim to ensure readiness to provide humanitarian assistance in the event of a further deterioration of security conditions in open waters.

The official Greek stance sparked a wave of widespread anger and criticism from opposition parties and civil society organizations in the country. Opposition political forces accused the government of being unable to protect territorial sovereignty or of tacit complicity with Israeli violations.

For his part, former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis sharply criticized the government, considering its silence on the attack near Greek waters a political blunder. Varoufakis described what happened as reflecting a weakness in Greek sovereign decision-making in the face of external pressures.

The "Spring 2026 Mission" had set sail last Sunday from the Italian island of Sicily, carrying hundreds of activists and humanitarian aid. The flotilla's primary goal is to break the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip and deliver essential supplies to the besieged population.

According to field data, the Israeli army detained 21 of the flotilla's boats during the violent attack launched in international waters. Meanwhile, 17 other boats managed to escape and reach Greek territorial waters seeking protection, while 14 boats continue their journey.

It is worth noting that this flotilla includes 345 participants representing 39 countries around the world, including large delegations of Turkish solidarity activists. This attempt is the second of its kind after a similar attack targeted a previous flotilla in October 2025 and led to the arrest of hundreds of activists.

Greece does not have the authority to intervene in international waters except in search and rescue cases, and maritime law grants jurisdiction to the state whose flag the ship flies.