The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) for Gaza said on Tuesday that one of its main boats was struck by a drone at a port in Tunisia, though all six passengers and crew were safe.
Tunisia's interior ministry said that reports of a drone hitting a boat at its Sidi Bou Said port "have no basis in truth", and that a fire broke out on the vessel itself.
The Portuguese-flagged boat, carrying the flotilla's steering committee, sustained fire damage to its main deck and below-deck storage, the GSF said in a statement.
The flotilla is an international initiative seeking to break Israel's naval blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to war-torn Gaza using civilian boats supported by delegations from 44 countries, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and Portuguese left-wing politician Mariana Mortagua.
A video posted by the GSF on X showed the moment "the Family Boat was struck from above", capturing a luminous flying object hitting the vessel with smoke rising soon after.
After the strike, dozens of people gathered outside the Sidi Bou Said port, where the flotilla's boats were located at the time of the incident, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Free Palestine," a Reuters witness said.
Israel has imposed a naval blockade on the Strip since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, saying it aims to stop weapons from reaching the militant group.
The blockade has remained in place through the current war, which began when Hamas attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, Israeli tallies showed.
Israel's subsequent military assault against Hamas has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry said, while a global hunger monitor said the Strip is suffering from famine.
Israel sealed off Gaza by land in early March, letting in no supplies for three months and sparking the widespread shortage of food. It has said Hamas was diverting the aid.
In June, Israeli naval forces boarded and seized a British-flagged yacht carrying Thunberg, among others. Israel dismissed the aid ship as a propaganda stunt in support of Hamas.
The GSF also said an investigation into the drone attack was underway and its results would be released once available.
"Acts of aggression aimed at intimidating and derailing our mission will not deter us. Our peaceful mission to break the siege on Gaza and stand in solidarity with its people continues with determination and resolve," the GSF said.
The United Nations' Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, who was at the port, told Reuters, "We do not know who carried out the attack, but we would not be surprised if it was Israel. If confirmed, it is an attack against Tunisian sovereignty."
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli side.
Thailand has extradited Chinese national She Zhijiang to China, where he faces trial for running illegal online casinos and laundering money via Myanm...
Investigators have opened inquiries into a possible connection between the car explosion outside Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday evening and the arrests ...
The Kremlin confirmed on Wednesday that there had been contact between Britain’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, and Kremlin foreign pol...
Russia has expressed its readiness to resume peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, according to a statement by a Russian foreign ministry official, Al...
Palestinian mother Hanan al-Joujou, aged 31, is forced to feed her three children in the dark, using a flashlight, as there is no electricity in Gaza,...
Thailand has extradited Chinese national She Zhijiang to China, where he faces trial for running illegal online casinos and laundering money via Myanmar, Thai police confirmed on Wednesday.
Investigators have opened inquiries into a possible connection between the car explosion outside Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday evening and the arrests this week of seven men from the Jammu and Kashmir federal territory, three sources familiar with the probe said on Wednesday.
The Kremlin confirmed on Wednesday that there had been contact between Britain’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, and Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, but the dialogue ultimately did not continue.
Russia has expressed its readiness to resume peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, according to a statement by a Russian foreign ministry official, Alexei Polishchuk, quoted by the state news agency TASS on Wednesday.
Twenty soldiers were killed in the crash of Türkiye’s military aircraft in Georgia on Tuesday, as inspectors continue searching for clues about what caused the NATO member’s cargo plane to go down.
Elon Musk’s bold vision for the future of technology doesn’t stop at reshaping space exploration or electric cars. The Neuralink brain-chip technology he introduced in 2020 could mark the end of smartphones as we know them, and his recent statements amplify this futuristic idea.
Georgian Interior Minister Geka Geladze has visited the site of the Turkish military helicopter crash in Sighnaghi Municipality, near the Georgia–Azerbaijan border.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a high level delegation visit to Pakistan as part of efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire between Kabul and Islamabad.
Anewz correspondent Nini Nikoleishvili reports from site of crashed Turkish military plane in Sighnaghi Municipality, saying that limited visibility and rugged terrain are slowing down recovery efforts.
Investigators have opened inquiries into a possible connection between the car explosion outside Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday evening and the arrests this week of seven men from the Jammu and Kashmir federal territory, three sources familiar with the probe said on Wednesday.
The Kremlin confirmed on Wednesday that there had been contact between Britain’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, and Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, but the dialogue ultimately did not continue.
Russia has expressed its readiness to resume peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, according to a statement by a Russian foreign ministry official, Alexei Polishchuk, quoted by the state news agency TASS on Wednesday.
Palestinian mother Hanan al-Joujou, aged 31, is forced to feed her three children in the dark, using a flashlight, as there is no electricity in Gaza, even after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas last month.
Iceland has classified the possible collapse of a major Atlantic Ocean current system as a national security risk and existential threat, as concerns grow over the impact of warming Arctic waters.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment