A convoy of ships, laden with humanitarian aid and bound for the Gaza Strip, has reported being targeted by drone attacks and experiencing communication disruptions. The protest group behind the flotilla stated early Wednesday that explosions were heard on some vessels as drones flew overhead. This comes despite strong objections from the Israeli government.
These boats are part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, an organization challenging Israel’s ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip. Their mission is to deliver vital food supplies to the enclave, which is currently grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis. The group has recently been at odds with Israeli authorities, who insist that all aid should be delivered to Israel for subsequent distribution to Gaza. In their social media updates, the flotilla members implied that Israel may be responsible for these latest assaults.
As of now, the Israeli military has not responded to requests for comment regarding the alleged incidents.
In a late Tuesday social media post, the group described drones continuously circling one of their boats for several hours, appearing approximately every ten minutes. They expressed a belief that these drones were intended for intimidation and potentially to gather intelligence for Israel.
Soon after, the flotilla reported hearing explosions on a nearby ship, accompanied by communication jamming and persistent drone activity overhead. The group explicitly suggested the involvement of “Israel and its allies” in these actions.
“We are experiencing these psychological operations firsthand, right now, but we will not be deterred,” the group declared, reaffirming their commitment for the ships to “continue to sail.”
One video shared by the group appeared to show a flash bang followed by a loud explosion. Another video featured a passenger from the flotilla, who stated that at least four ships had been targeted by drones and that the attacks were ongoing.
Francesca Albanese, an international lawyer and UN special rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, a vocal critic of the conflict in Gaza and a supporter of the flotilla, used social media to highlight the maritime attack. She urged the international community to safeguard the boats, proclaiming, “Hands off the Flotilla!”
Rima Hassan, a French Member of the European Parliament, who was previously aboard a Gaza-bound vessel intercepted by Israel in June and February, appealed to French President Emmanuel Macron for assistance. She noted on social media that “Several dozen French nationals are present on board the flotilla!” and demanded, “These attacks must stop!”
The New York Times has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of these videos. The Global Sumud Flotilla did not disclose the precise location of its vessels during the attacks, but a Tuesday post indicated they were near Greece and still several days away from Gaza. A representative for the flotilla has yet to respond to inquiries.
Tensions between the aid convoy and the Israeli government have remained high. Israel’s foreign ministry has repeatedly instructed the group to unload their aid at an Israeli port for “prompt and peaceful transfer to the Gaza Strip.” The ministry asserts that the flotilla’s refusal to comply demonstrates “the insincerity of the flotilla members.”
Israel has accused the group of having ties to Hamas and has pledged to “take the necessary measures to prevent its entry into the combat zone.”
Israeli authorities maintain that the flotilla is violating a legitimate naval blockade, while flotilla members counter that Israel is in breach of international law through its aid restrictions and by obstructing missions to deliver food to civilians.
International observers confirm that extreme hunger is rampant in Gaza, with some areas now facing famine. Conditions have worsened drastically over the nearly two years of conflict, which began with a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
This is not the first time Israeli authorities have turned away aid groups attempting to reach Gaza by sea.
In May, a Gaza-bound ship named Conscience was forced to halt its mission off the coast of Malta after being struck by explosions and subsequently catching fire. In June, Israel intercepted the Madleen, which carried prominent figures such as activist Greta Thunberg and Ms. Hassan. Another vessel, the Handala, was also intercepted by Israel in July.
These earlier boats were part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a collective of groups that have since merged to form the current Global Sumud Flotilla.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s far-right national security minister, issued a threat this month to classify aid flotilla members as terrorists and to detain them accordingly.
Earlier in September, the Global Sumud Flotilla reported that one of its boats had been attacked while docked in Tunisia. However, the Tunisian National Guard issued a statement denying any evidence of such an attack, dismissing social media claims as “baseless.” Initial investigations by Tunisian authorities suggested the fire was accidentally started by a cigarette or lighter.