A main vessel of the Global Gaza Flotilla was reportedly hit by a drone in Tunisian waters, organizers said Tuesday. The ship, sailing under the Portuguese flag, caught fire on its main deck and in a storage room, but none of the six passengers or crew members were injured, according to Reuters.
However, the Tunisian National Guard denied reports of a drone strike, stating that the explosion originated from inside the ship. Initial investigations pointed to an internal blast, a spokesperson told Radio Mosaique.
Following the incident, dozens of people gathered at the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Free Palestine.”
The flotilla stressed that an investigation into the alleged drone attack is ongoing, vowing that its humanitarian mission will continue:
“We will not be intimidated by acts of aggression aimed at derailing our mission. We remain determined to break the Gaza blockade and show solidarity with its people.”
The flotilla, which set sail from Barcelona on September 1, consists of dozens of ships carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza. Activists from 44 countries are on board, including climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Israel has maintained a naval blockade of Gaza since 2007, when Hamas took control of the enclave, citing the prevention of arms smuggling as its justification. The flotilla’s goal is to deliver aid and challenge the blockade, as Gaza reels from nearly two years of devastating conflict.
