"The Global Sumud Flotilla" activists said overnight Monday that one of their boats, bearing the flag of Portugal, was struck by a drone inside Tunisian territorial waters. Organizers stated that no one on board was injured. A spokesperson for the Tunisian authorities maintained that no drones were detected near the port and that this was probably an "internal explosion."
Footage circulating on social media appeared to show a suspicious object crashing into the boat, followed by shouts from the deck. According to the organization, damage was caused on the main deck and the storage area below it due to a fire.
Video: The incident on board the flotilla vessel / Social media
The "Sumud" flotilla, meaning resistance, is an international initiative created to transfer humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip using civilian vessels, supported by delegations from 44 countries, despite Israel saying it would gladly hand over supplies after properly vetting them if activists dock in Israeli ports. Israel has repeatedly blocked similar flotillas because such attempts are designed to serve as propaganda supporting Hamas, and also because it wants to ensure there are no arms on board.
Environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who is taking part in the flotilla and was previously deported from Israel for joining another one, wrote that "I am currently in a Tunisian port, after our boat carrying humanitarian aid was bombed. We were not on board the boat when it was bombed. It was bombed in Tunisian territory."
Francesca Albanese, a UN envoy, told Al-Arabiya that "The strike against the Gaza flotilla ship is grave and we are awaiting an investigation."
