(20 Jun 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Limassol, Cyprus – 19 June 2025
1. Wide of passengers lined up outside the departures terminal at the port of Limassol
2. SOUNDBITE (English) David Agami, stranded Israeli: ++SOUNDBITE STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT AND IS OVERLAID BY SHOT3++
"It’s in God’s hands. It’s nothing to do, there’s nothing you can do. It’s all in God’s hands. If it’s your time, it’s your time. I think we’d prefer to be there than here definitely."
3. People arriving with suitcases
4. Part of ship visible from outside port
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ben Fox, stranded Israeli, with his wife Liat Fox: ++SOUNDBITE STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT AND IS OVERLAID BY SHOT6-7++
"You know, obviously what’s happening is very worrying, what’s happening with the rocket fire. On the other hand, we’re very happy that our army and our government’s taking care of the Iranian problem, and of course we want to be with our family and we want to be available to help, you know, if there’s medical problems and just, you know."
Wife Liat Fox:
"Go back home.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Limassol, Cyprus – 19 June 2025
6. Various of passengers on the decks of the Israeli cruise ship Crown Iris prior to its departure from Limassol
7. Various of people that were left out of Israeli cruise ship Crown Iris and weren’t allowed to travel
8. Various of passengers on the decks
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Hanit Azulay, stranded Israeli: ++SOUNDBITE STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT ++
"No, I don’t scare. My little daughter is over there, my family is over there, and we’re regular to this. This situation is like two years we are in this situation, and we the Israelis we’re crazy. We think it’s okay to be this situation.”
10. Various of cruise ship leaving the port of Limassol en route to Israel
STORYLINE:
David Agami has been eager to leave Cyprus and get back to his wife and six children since his flight from the US was diverted when Israel and Iran began trading air attacks last week.
On Thursday, he was among hundreds of other Israelis who found spots aboard the Israeli cruise ship Crown Iris, which embarked on the trip of about 270 kilometers (167 miles) to Israel. The ship docked in the port city of Limassol Wednesday morning after dropping off hundreds of Jewish emigrees from the US who were evacuated from Israel.
“There’s nothing you can do, it’s all in God’s hands. If it’s your time it’s your time, I think we’d prefer to be there than here definitely,” said Agami, who is attempting
to reach Bet Shemesh between Israel’s port city of Ashdod and Jerusalem.
Cyprus’ chief Rabbi Arie Zeev Raskin told The Associated Press that approximately 6,500 Israelis were in Cyprus after being diverted to the east Mediterranean island, the closest European nation to Israel, or traveling there voluntarily in hopes of catching a flight or boat trip back to their country.
Cyprus has become a key transit point for the repatriation of third-country nationals fleeing conflict areas in the region, as well as Israelis and others wishing to return home in the absence of direct flights there.
Like many other Israelis, Agami said a collective drive to assist their homeland’s defense overrides any concerns about personal safety or security.
“If any other country, I don’t think you’d have anyone, you know, going. Everyone would be fleeing,” Agami said. He described an Israeli corporate CEO he knows who left his company and returned to join the army. "If we’re not gonna fight for it, who is?”
AP Video by Petros Karadjias and Lefteris Pitarakis. Production by Menelaos Hadjicostis
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