Aid ship Global Sumud flotilla struck by drone during Gaza mission.
In early September, the largest flotilla of its kind, the Global Sumud Flotilla, set sail from Barcelona with a mission to break the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver much-needed aid supplies. The flotilla, which included a boat carrying Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, faced a dramatic incident on its journey.
The boat, sailing under the Portuguese flag, was hit by a drone in Tunisian waters, according to reports. The incident was confirmed by the independent UN Special Rapporteur for the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel, Francesca Albanese, who spoke about the attack on her Instagram channel.
Videos shared on the Instagram channel showed a fireball-like object crashing onto the boat, causing fire damage on the main deck and in the hold below. Remarkably, all six passengers and crew members are reported to be safe. The incident occurred on a boat where members of the Global Sumud Flotilla steering committee were on board.
Albanese, who has previously accused Israel of genocide against the Palestinians in a report last year, expressed shock about the drone attack but called for verification. She also accused Israel of threats against the flotilla.
Israel, on the other hand, has accused Albanese of bias and anti-Semitism, a claim that was upheld by the Trump administration when they imposed sanctions on her in July. The Israeli government has also previously prevented attempts by activists to break the naval blockade in front of the Gaza Strip.
In response to the incident, the organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla have stated that the aggression will not deter them from their mission. They plan to hold a press conference to discuss the incident further. A similar drone attack was reported by activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition near the Mediterranean island of Malta in May.
The Global Sumud Flotilla aims to highlight the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and to pressure Israel to lift the naval blockade. The flotilla, which started its journey from Barcelona, is said to be the largest of its kind, with boats from various countries participating.
As the incident unfolds, the international community is closely watching the developments, with many expressing concern over the use of force against civilian vessels. The organizers and passengers of the Global Sumud Flotilla remain undeterred, continuing their journey towards Gaza with the hope of delivering much-needed aid and raising global awareness about the ongoing crisis.
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