The Global Sumud Flotilla, a convoy traveling to Gaza with pro-Palestinian activists carrying aid, reported hearing drone attacks and explosions from their boats off Greece late on Tuesday and the morning of Wednesday.
Without specifying whether there were any injuries, the Global Sumud Flotilla stated in a statement that “multiple drones, unidentified objects dropped, communications jammed, and explosions heard from several boats.”
“We are right now witnessing these psychological operations, but we won’t be intimidated,” he said.
Brazilian Organizer Tiago Avila posted a timeline of 10 attacks that involved multiple boats with sound bombs and explosive flares on his Instagram at midnight on Wednesday, wearing only a life jacket. Additionally, suspected chemicals were sprayed on them.
Greg Stoker, a US activist, claimed that Greg Stoker’s boat off the coast of Crete was also targeted.
A quadcopter dropped a little popper on the deck, assailing our boat. That was also experienced by a few other boats. Our very high frequency [VHF] radio was hacked by adversarial communications, and they immediately began playing Abba, he claimed on Instagram.
The flotilla’s alleged use of drones, explosions, or communications interference has not been made public by Israeli authorities.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier on Tuesday stated in a post on X that the sailing boats were “pursuing a violent course of action,” which “highlights the insincerity of the flotilla members and their mission to serve Hamas, rather than the people in Gaza.”
The ministry’s objections to the request from the flotilla to hand the aid to Israel so that it can be transferred to Gaza “in a coordinated and peaceful manner” via the nearby Ashkelon Marina.
Israel will make every effort to ensure the safety of its passengers if the flotilla continues to reject Israel’s peaceful proposal, including taking the necessary steps to stop any violations of a lawful naval blockade.
Avila referred to this as “manipulation from the Zionist regime.”
He wrote on his Instagram that “we can never believe an occupying force who is committing genocide that they will provide aid.”
The flotilla, which consists of 51 boats, set sail from the western Mediterranean Sea earlier this month in an effort to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and provide aid for the area. Before resuming its journey to Gaza, it had already been the target of two suspected drone attacks in Tunisia, where its boat had been anchored.
Greta Thunberg, a prominent environmental activist, is one of the participants.
International activists claim to have organized the flotilla as a peaceful protest to raise awareness of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
Source: Aljazeera
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