Global Sumud Flotilla boat attacked by drone strike near Tunisian coast

TUNISIA, Sept. 09 (YPA) – The Global Sumud Flotilla announced that its main vessel was struck by a drone at a port in Tunisia, in the early hours of Tuesday morning,  causing fire on board.

According to Thiago Ávila, member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said “One of the main vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), known as the “Family Boat” was struck by what is suspected to be a drone off the coast of Tunisia and several of our team members were on board the ship during the attack, but none were injured.”

The flotilla’s media committee released a video allegedly showing the moment the “Family Boat” was targeted off the Tunisian coast. Despite the attack, Flotilla spokesperson Saif Abukeshek confirmed that the flotilla will continue its journey toward Gaza.

The flotilla had been scheduled to depart later Tuesday from the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said, as part of its mission to break the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip.

Tunisian police forces successfully extinguished the fire and confirmed that no casualties were reported as a result of the incident.

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that the most likely cause of the fire was a drone strike.

She added that two additional boats from the flotilla are currently en route to Tunisia and are in urgent need of protection.

Reuters, citing flotilla organizers, reported that the targeted vessel was carrying members of the flotilla’s steering committee at the time of the attack.

Sources within the flotilla have accused the Israeli government of being behind the attack, which they say is part of an ongoing attempt to derail their initiative aimed at breaking the blockade on Gaza.

@E.Y.M