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Alsharq Tribune-AFP
A fire on a Gaza-bound vessel docked at a Tunisian port was the result of a planned assault, Tunisia's interior ministry said on Wednesday, adding it was launching an investigation into the incident.
The blaze broke out early Tuesday on the "Family," the largest ship in the Global Sumud Flotilla, while it was moored at Sidi Bou Said port.
Earlier statements from Tunisian authorities said that the fire started in a stack of life jackets and was quickly contained, with no injuries and only minor damage. Flotilla organizers said the Portuguese-flagged ship was struck by a drone in an attempt to sabotage the mission.
Also on Wednesday, the flotilla said another of its boats, the British-flagged "Alma," was also attacked by a drone on Tuesday, damaging its top deck. The group said the fire was extinguished and no one was hurt.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, which left Barcelona on Aug. 31, plans to send more than 20 vessels with activists from over 40 countries to Gaza, with the number expected to grow to 60 after joining boats from Tunisia, Libya, and Italy. Organizers say more than 1,000 activists will take part in what they call the largest maritime challenge yet to Israel's blockade of Gaza.
In June, Israeli forces intercepted another vessel, the Madleen, carrying 12 activists who attempted to breach the blockade. The activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and Brazilian rights advocate Thiago Avila, were deported after being escorted to Ashdod, Israel's largest port.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized that mission, accused Israel of acting unlawfully, saying the Madleen was "kidnapped" in international waters. It alleged that passengers were subjected to psychological pressure, including the use of irritant spray, jamming of communications, and disruptive radio noise.
Israel imposed a naval blockade on Gaza in 2007 after Hamas seized control of the enclave. The restrictions were tightened following Hamas's deadly cross-border assault into southern Israel in October 2023.
The war, now in its 23rd month, has devastated Gaza's infrastructure and pushed its 2.3 million residents into a deep humanitarian crisis. UN agencies warn of impending famine, with the entire population facing acute food insecurity.
