NICOSIA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli cruise ship with 1,600 Israeli nationals on board docked at the Cypriot port of Limassol on Wednesday after it left the Greek island of Syros as a result of a mass protest at the island's port, according to Limassol port authorities.

Israeli media reported that the ship, the "Crown Iris", was forced to leave Syros as hundreds of local people gathered at the port to protest Israeli actions in Gaza.

The ship's operators, Mano Maritime, said in a statement that the vessel encountered a demonstration by pro-Palestinian supporters at the port of Syros, and passengers were stuck on board without permission to disembark.

The Limassol port authorities did not say how long the ship would remain there or whether its passengers would disembark.

The "Crown Iris" had been used to transfer thousands of Israelis and third country nationals between Israel and Cyprus in June after Israel closed its airspace during an 11-day missile war with Iran. ■