‘’Vivy Sabre’’ boat, part of the Sumud flotilla trying to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza, arrived at the Port of Kato Paphos on the western coast of Cyprus.

There are six men on board, from Italy, Spain, Mexico and Morocco.

Speaking to the press, Danielle Gallina from Italy, a resident of Belgium, said that they left the port of Augusta in Sicily, as part of the flotilla.

‘’We were attacked around the coast of Crete, stayed in Ierapetra, continued to Marmaris Turkey and continued in international water and yesterday we got attacked, people were kidnapped and our boat because of technical problem and because one person needed medical assistance we managed to arrive here in this port. We are now trying to see what to do to save this boat’’, he said.

He noted that they are carrying humanitarian aid, food, supplies for the people in Gaza who are starving.

He also said that they were asked to remove the Palestinian flags, but added that ‘’we are worried that if we go to another European port we won’t be able to show the flag’’.

According to the website of the Global Sumud Flotilla, Israeli naval warships encircled the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters, approximately 250 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza and intercepted civilians.

An international flotilla bound for Gaza never entered the territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) said on Monday, adding that it has not received any distress signal requiring the activation of search and rescue procedures under the national “NEARCHOS” plan.