Global Sumud Flotilla carrying aid to Gaza says vessel hit by Israeli drone in Tunisian water

The Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) says its vessel “Family Boat” was struck by a drone near Tunisian waters, while Tunisian authorities deny any such attack took place.

A spokesperson for the GSF said the attack late Monday at Tunisia’s Sidi Bou Said port was carried out by the Israeli regime, while the Tunisian National Guard denied any assault, attributing the fire instead to a cigarette butt or lighter that ignited a life jacket.

Israel did not provide an immediate comment.

As reported by the Gaza-bound flotilla, the incident on the Family Boat, which operates under a Portuguese flag and is transporting members of the group’s steering committee, occurred at 11:45 p.m. on Monday.

At the moment of the drone strike, there were six individuals aboard the vessel, and several passengers promptly put out the flames.

All crew members are safe, GSF said in a statement.

The report indicated that the fire inflicted damage on the main deck of the ship as well as the storage area below deck.

The GSF shared several videos on social media platforms, asserting they captured the moment the attack occurred.

A video recorded from a different vessel close to the Family Boat depicted an incendiary device descending onto the boat, resulting in an explosion.

Additionally, another video obtained from the security cameras of the Family Boat illustrates crew members glancing upwards and recoiling just prior to the explosion.

Miguel Duarte, who was aboard the Family Boat and witnessed the incident, stated that he observed a drone hovering over the vessel before it dropped an explosive device.

“I was standing in the back part of the ship, the aft deck, and I heard a drone,” Duarte said in the video posted online.

“I saw a drone clearly about 4 meters (13 feet) above my head. I called someone. We were looking at the drone, just above our heads, really,” he recounted.

The drone came to a stop adjacent to the two crew members, then gradually advanced to the forward deck of the vessel, dropping what he described as “obviously a bomb.”

“There was a huge explosion, lots of fire, big, big flames … We could have been killed,” Duarte added.

Explainer: What to know about Global Sumud Flotilla's high-stakes mission to Gaza

Boats carrying participants from 44 countries are sailing to Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla to break the Israeli blockade and demand justice despite serious threats.

The GSF members stated that the attack was carried out by the Israeli regime, referencing the Israeli military’s past attacks on ships destined for Gaza.

“There is no other authority that would do such an attack, such a crime, except the Israeli authorities,” spokesperson Saif Abukeshek said in a video posted on the GSF’s official Instagram page.

“They have been committing genocide for the past 22 months, and they are willing to attack a peaceful, non-violent flotilla,” he added.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, which derives its name from the Arabic term for “steadfastness,” consists of more than 50 vessels transporting individuals from various nations, such as medical professionals, reporters, and campaigners.

Approximately 150 activists – comprising Tunisians, Turkish nationals, and individuals from Europe, Africa, and Asia – are involved in this initiative.

The flotilla departed from Barcelona in late August, accompanied by another group from Genoa, Italy, and is anticipated to leave Tunisia for Gaza on Wednesday.

The initiative seeks to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza and provide humanitarian assistance to the besieged territory.

It is the latest and largest Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) mission to set sail for Gaza in an attempt to break Israel’s US-backed genocidal siege on the embattled Palestinian territory.

FFC has attempted numerous times to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza via sea and deliver aid to Palestinians there.

In July, Israeli forces intercepted the Handala, a Gaza-bound FFC ship carrying aid and activists.

The unarmed boat was boarded by Israeli forces, its passengers abducted, and its cargo seized, FFC said at the time.

In June, the Madleen ship, another Gaza-bound vessel launched by FFC, was intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters, and activists on board, including Thunberg, were kidnapped by the regime forces.

In May, the Conscience was struck twice by Israeli drones, just 25km off the coast of Malta.

The attack triggered a fire and caused a significant breach in the hull, forcing the 30 activists on board into a desperate effort to bail out water and keep the ship afloat.

Last month, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed that famine is occurring in the Gaza Governorate as of August 15.

Currently, over half a million Palestinians face starvation; by next month, the number could exceed 640,000.

The Israeli regime has killed at least 64,605 Palestinians, mainly women and children, in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

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