A ship carrying aid to Gaza was hit by drones in international waters near Malta on Friday, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the group organizing the mission. The attack occurred about 25 kilometers from Malta while the ship, named Conscience, was on its way to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza.
The FFC said two drone strikes hit the front of the unarmed civilian vessel, causing a fire and a large hole in the hull. The group did not directly blame Israel for the attack but urged countries to summon Israeli ambassadors and demand accountability for what it called violations of international law, including the ongoing blockade and bombing of a civilian ship.
Nicole Jenes, a spokesperson for the group, told Al Jazeera the attack happened around 12:23pm local time. She said 30 Turkish and Azeri activists onboard fought to keep the vessel from sinking by bailing out water. Communication with the crew has since been lost.
The ship had sent out SOS signals, and a vessel from Southern Cyprus was reportedly dispatched to assist. Malta later confirmed the fire was under control and that the ship was being monitored, but did not give further details.
The FFC is made up of international peace activists and aims to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which has been in place for years. Israel stopped all humanitarian aid to Gaza two months ago, just before resuming military operations against Hamas. Over 50,000 people have reportedly died in the conflict.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned on Friday that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is “on the verge of total collapse” due to the ongoing blockade and lack of aid.
