GAZA, (The Palestinian Information Center) An Israeli drone attacked the largest vessel in the Global Sumud Flotilla, bound for the Gaza Strip, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, as it sailed off the coast of Tunisia. The strike caused a fire to break out on board.
According to media sources, firefighting teams and the ship’s crew were later able to bring the blaze under control, and all members of the Flotilla crew survived the attack.
The Global Coordination Committee for the Sumud Flotilla confirmed that the Spanish ship Alma was the vessel targeted while docked in Sidi Bou Said port, Tunisia.
Second drone attack in two days
On Tuesday, the Sumud Flotilla announced that another boat had been hit late Monday night by a drone strike, sparking a fire onboard. The vessel had been sailing near Sidi Bou Said with six people on board at the time of the attack.
In a statement shared via Instagram, the Sumud Flotilla, which departed from Barcelona, Spain as part of a mission to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza, said the drone caused material damage to the vessel and denounced the attack as an “act of aggression aimed at obstructing its humanitarian mission.”
Mission continues despite threats
The drone strikes come as the Flotilla continues preparing to head toward besieged Gaza, in a major international initiative intended to challenge the longstanding blockade.
Despite the escalating threats, the Flotilla’s organizers confirmed during a press conference in Tunisia that the mission will sail to Gaza as planned on Wednesday, regardless of circumstances. They added that an official investigation into the attacks is ongoing but affirmed that the incident will not deter the mission or change its course.
Organizers also reported that Tunisian authorities denied authorization for the press conference, forcing them to hold it outdoors in the street.
UN support and international participation
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Francesca Albanese, expressed support for the Flotilla and affirmed that the drone attack will not derail the mission. She praised participants for standing in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
The Flotilla is expected to reach Gaza by mid-September, following two previous attempts, blocked by Israeli forces in June and July, to deliver aid by sea.
The Sumud Flotilla includes activists, European lawmakers, and public figures, such as former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, Portuguese MP Mariana Mortágua, and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
The mission is coordinated by a coalition of groups including the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Global Gaza Movement, the Sumud Convoy, and Malaysia’s Nusantara Solidarity Organization.
Together, they have assembled hundreds of participants from 44 countries, sailing aboard more than 70 ships loaded with medical supplies and humanitarian aid, the largest such Flotilla to head toward Gaza since maritime solidarity missions began.
Wael Nawar, a member of the Joint Coordination Committee for Palestine, stated that over 1,000 participants from 44 countries are preparing to sail, despite looming threats. He confirmed that the Flotilla is ready for all scenarios, including bureaucratic obstacles, Israeli drone attacks, arrests by Israeli soldiers, or safe arrival in Gaza.
