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Israel Accused of Drone Attack on 'Freedom Flotilla' Carrying Aid to Starving Gazans [1]

['Jake Johnson', 'Jake Johnson Is A Senior Editor', 'Staff Writer For Common Dreams.']

Date: 2025-05-02 14:26:05+00:00

A "Freedom Flotilla" vessel carrying humanitarian aid for starving Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip reportedly came under attack in international waters off the coast of Malta early Friday, with organizers accusing Israel of bombing the ship with armed drones.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said in a statement that drones attacked the front of its unarmed ship, the Conscience, twice, "causing a fire and a substantial breach in the hull."

"The drone strike appears to have deliberately targeted the ship's generator, leaving the crew without power and placing the vessel at great risk of sinking," the coalition said. "On board are international human rights activists on a nonviolent humanitarian mission to challenge Israel's illegal and deadly siege of Gaza, and to deliver desperately needed, life-saving aid."

"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 coalition added.

Huwaida Arraf, an organizer with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, wrote in an email to The Washington Post that the group suspects Israel was behind the attack but can't "confirm 100%." The Israeli government has not commented on the accusations.

"Israel has threatened us and attacked us many times before, in 2010, killing 10 of our volunteers," wrote Arraf. "It is also the primary entity interested in keep[ing] us and any aid out of Gaza."

BREAKING: At 00:23 Maltese time, a #FreedomFlotilla ship was subjected to a drone attack. The front of the vessel was targeted twice, resulting in a fire and a breach in the hull. The ship is currently located in international waters near #Malta. An #SOS distress signal was sent.



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— Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@freedomflotilla.bsky.social) May 1, 2025 at 10:38 PM

Reutersreported early Friday that "the Maltese government said the vessel and its crew were secured in the early hours of the morning after a nearby tug assisted with firefighting operations," but the outlet noted that organizers insisted the ship "was still in danger."

Climate and human rights activist Greta Thunberg told Reuters that she was in Malta at the time of the reported attack on the Conscience and that she was planning to board the vessel to support the effort to deliver aid to Gazans, who have been struggling to survive under a suffocating two-month Israeli siege and relentless bombing.

On Friday, Amnesty International again called on Israel to lift its humanitarian blockade on Gaza, saying that the Israeli government's "policy of deliberately imposing conditions of life on Palestinians in Gaza calculated to bring about their physical destruction" amounts to "an act of genocide."

The U.S.-based peace group CodePink condemned the reported drone strike in a statement Friday and expressed relief "to hear that our board member, Col. (Ret.) Ann Wright, and long-time CodePink activist Tighe Barry" were not aboard the Conscience when it was attacked.

"They are safe in Malta along with climate activist Greta Thunberg. Our concern now is for those who are onboard and pray they are rescued as soon as possible," said CodePink. "We will put out a more detailed statement once we have more information. In the meantime, we call on the Maltese government to immediately aid in the rescue of the 30 passengers who were trying to get food and supplies to the people of Gaza, who are purposely being starved to death by Israel."

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[1] Url: https://www.commondreams.org/news/freedom-flotilla-drone-strike

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