Dockworkers in Greece refused to transfer an ammunition-filled container bound for "Israel" onto a ship at the Port of Piraeus.

The container, which was purportedly carried to Greece via North Macedonia, was intended to be sent to "Israel's" Haifa Port.

However, in response to demands from local labor groups, dockworkers at the Piraeus port banded together and took a stance, blocking the cargo from progressing.

According to Greek State Television ERT, the workers wrote "Murderers, get out of the port" on the container and sang slogans like "Freedom for Palestine."

Markos Bekris, head of the Piraeus Port Trade Union, issued a statement opposing the shipment of munitions destined for the continuing aggression on Gaza.

Bekris stated that the workers decided they would not allow the shipment "that will continue the genocide of the Palestinian people," underlining that the workers would not stain their hands "with the blood of the Palestinian people.

Bekris also encouraged Greece to withdraw from the war, stating that the country's role should end immediately. "We demand that our country immediately stop engaging in the war," he stated.

We need more of this!

Power to the workers ✊🏾 https://t.co/EvEEAr80OS

— Riya Al (@RiyaAlsanah) October 18, 2024

Greek FM suggests Europe host Gaza children impacted by war

In late June, Greece's Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis suggested that Europe host children impacted by the war in Gaza for as long as it continues.

Reportedly, Gerapetritis was actively searching for partnerships for a project that would temporarily transport Gazan children to countries within the European Union. The idea was proposed and discussed with Palestinian Foreign Minister Mohammad Mustafa throughout the week. 

He stressed that the "tragedy" must be faced sooner rather than later, saying "Europe should be open to injured people from [Gaza] but also to children who are now facing famine or other sorts of dangers."

Gerapetritis also highlighted the "tremendous" psychological trauma kids in Gaza suffer from because of the war.  

Greece believes its links to the Arab world could facilitate its role as a peace broker in the region, more so after it was elected as a member of the United Nations Security Council for 2025-2026 earlier in June. 

However, Gerapetritis did not provide estimations on how many Gazan refugees his country or the EU could host but mentioned the project was being discussed with Palestinian authorities. More notably, he stressed that it was not linked to regular migration due to sensitivities on the matter and far-right opposition within the EU. 

"This is an obvious call of humanitarian assistance. We're not talking here about economic migrants or other types of irregular migration," the foreign minister said, amid the emergence of far-right political parties in European elections, and emphasized that the project must be launched as soon as possible.