A second vessel in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), an international initiative attempting to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, was reportedly struck in a suspected drone attack early Wednesday. No injuries were reported.
“Another boat has been hit,” the GSF posted on social media, claiming a second consecutive night of drone activity. “Second night, second drone attack,” flotilla coordinator Melanie Schweizer told AFP.
The incident marks the second night in a row that the flotilla organizers have claimed that a drone struck one of their vessels.
Security footage shared by the GSF early Tuesday morning captured a humming sound followed by a flash of light. Another video showed crew members reacting to an explosion.
However, Tunisian authorities rejected the claim, stating no drones were detected and suggesting the fire originated from life jackets, possibly caused by a cigarette.
GSF spokesperson Saif Abukeshek directly blamed Israel: “There is no other authority that would do such an attack, such a crime, except the Israeli authorities,” he said in a video posted to Instagram.
20 vessels making up the flotilla set sail from Barcelona last Monday and arrived in Tunisia on Sunday, where they were joined by local teams and loaded with additional supplies before continuing toward Gaza.
The flotilla was to have set sail from Tunis on Sunday, but organizers announced Saturday that their departure has been postponed to Wednesday, citing “technical and logistical reasons beyond management’s control” for the delay.
Among the activists aboard the flotilla are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau, who severed her city’s ties with Israel while in office. The flotilla has also garnered support from Hollywood figures such as Susan Sarandon and Liam Cunningham, known for his role in HBO’s “Game of Thrones.”
Thunberg was previously deported by Israel in June after taking part in another flotilla, the Madleen, which was intercepted by the IDF.
The activists were then given food and water, despite many of them having prepared prerecorded videos claiming that they were “kidnapped” by the IDF.
The Foreign Ministry said that the Gaza aid aboard the Madleen included less than a single truckload of aid, and it would be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels.