Israeli Drones Strike Gaza-Bound Aid Ship in International Waters
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A civilian aid vessel en route to Gaza was struck by suspicious Israeli drones in international waters off Malta, triggering condemnations for unlawful aggression and renewed demands for accountability over Israel’s blockade.
A ship organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza was attacked by armed drones on Friday while navigating 14 nautical miles off the coast of Malta.
The FFC reported that the unarmed civilian vessel sustained two direct drone strikes, which caused a fire and a significant breach in its hull.
“This attack occurred in international waters and targeted a civilian ship,” the group said in its statement.
While the FFC stopped short of directly naming Israel as the perpetrator, it stated: “Israeli ambassadors must be summoned and answer to violations of international law, including the ongoing blockade and the bombing of our civilian vessel in international waters.”
The Israeli regime has not issued a comment.
Nicole Jenes, a representative of the FFC, told Al Jazeera that the strike occurred at 12:23pm local time, igniting the engine and blowing a hole in the hull.
Thirty Turkish and Azeri activists aboard the ship, named Conscience, were left fighting to contain the flooding and keep the vessel from sinking.
The group confirmed that a vessel from southern Cyprus was dispatched following distress signals.
Later that day, Maltese authorities reported that the fire had been brought under control and the ship was under observation, though it remains unclear if any direct intervention occurred or what became of those on board.
Jenes, speaking from Malta, said communication had been lost with the crew after the attack.
“They were hiding in the night in the rooms of the ship because they were afraid of the drones … We lost contact with them,” she said.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a network of peace activists formed last year, repurposed a trawler to challenge Israel’s siege of Gaza.
Israel halted humanitarian deliveries two months ago, shortly before resuming its brutal military campaign in Gaza, where it killed over 50,000 people.
“This attack is an extension of the genocide that is happening in Gaza and cannot pass unpunished,” Jenes said.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned Friday that Gaza’s humanitarian infrastructure is nearing collapse.
“Six weeks of intense hostilities, combined with a complete blockage of aid for two months, have left civilians without the essentials they need to survive,” the ICRC said.
It added that without immediate aid, vital services and relief operations in Gaza would not be able to continue.
