Organizers reported that a boat, which was part of a Greta Thunberg-backed mission en route to Gaza, was hit by an incendiary device launched from a drone while it was berthed in Tunis.
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), responsible for sending numerous humanitarian aid vessels to Gaza, came under drone attack shortly after midnight local time on Tuesday while moored close to Tunisia’s capital.
GSF posted content on social media depicting the event, followed by a video illustrating damage, including burn marks, on what appeared to be the main deck of the vessel. All six individuals aboard the Family Boat, sailing under the Portuguese flag, were confirmed to be safe and sustained no injuries.
Following the occurrence, demonstrators were observed convening at the port in Tunis.
Tunisia’s interior ministry refuted claims of a drone striking the boat, asserting that a fire on board was instead ignited by a lighter or a cigarette.
Francesca Albanese, the U.N. Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, hinted at Israel’s potential involvement in the assault, though she offered no supporting evidence.
Albanese, who resides in Tunis and addressed attendees at the port on Monday evening, remarked, “The flotilla has a history of being targeted, and Israel has recently issued threatening statements against it.”
TIME’s request for comment from the Israeli Foreign Ministry received no immediate reply.
The Flotilla departed Barcelona last week and reached its destination on Sunday. GSF stated its objective with this flotilla, the most recent operation of its type, is to “break Israel’s illegal blockade,” following a previous June mission where Thunberg joined a dozen activists on a vessel delivering aid to Gaza.
During the June mission, all participants aboard the flotilla were apprehended offshore, transported to Israel, and subsequently deported. Following her deportation to France, Thunberg declared, “Each of us carries a moral imperative to exert every effort in the struggle for a free Palestine.”
Israel has previously drawn substantial criticism regarding its handling of past flotilla operations headed for Gaza. In 2010, individuals were killed on the Mavi Marmara by the Israeli military, 40 miles off the Gaza coast.
Greta Berlin, an organizer for the flotilla mission, remarked after the incident, “We are all civilians. Every single person among us is a civilian attempting to breach Israel’s blockade affecting one and a half million Palestinians.”
In Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces issued evacuation directives for all of Gaza City, cautioning that the military would operate in the region with “great force.” They urged residents to “evacuate immediately” to the Al Mawasi humanitarian zone situated near the southern Gaza coast.
The recent evacuation mandates for Palestinians residing in Gaza have sparked worries regarding ongoing displacement. Mai Elawawda, Communications Officer for Medical Aid for Palestinians, stated on Tuesday in a communication shared with TIME, “The Al Mawasi area is already completely occupied. Accommodation along the coast is very costly, and individuals might not have the means to vacate their homes in Gaza City to relocate southward and secure suitable housing.”
Elawada reported that scores of Palestinians had arrived in the region from northern Gaza on Tuesday morning lacking tents. Last week, it was noted that ongoing displacement directives and escalating conflict in Gaza would lead to “horrific humanitarian consequences.”
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated, “Many households are unable to relocate due to significant expenses and a scarcity of secure areas for movement, with elderly individuals and those with disabilities being particularly impacted,” further mentioning that 82,000 new displacement orders were issued from August 14 to 31.
