Israeli drone strike hits Gaza aid flotilla
The organisers of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying humanitarian aid and pro-Palestinian activists said late Monday that one of their boats was hit by a suspected UAV but Tunisian authorities said "no drones" had been detected.
The flotilla, which aims to deliver aid to Gazans in defiance of Israel's blockade, arrived in Tunisia over the weekend and was anchored 50 miles from the port of Sidi Bou Said when it reported the incident.
"The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) confirms that one of the main boats... was struck by what is suspected to be a drone," the organisers said on social media, adding no one had been hurt.
The boat was in Tunisian waters when a fire broke out onboard and was quickly extinguished, according to an AFP journalist who arrived shortly after the flames had been doused.
BREAKING: Gaza aid flotilla organisers say boat carrying Greta Thunberg hit by suspected drone pic.twitter.com/AvSXZrExAV
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) September 9, 2025
Houcem Eddine Jebabli, a spokesman for Tunisia's national guard, said their investigation was "ongoing" but "no drones have been detected".
"According to preliminary findings, a fire broke out in the life jackets on board a ship anchored 50 miles from the port of Sidi Bou Said," he said.
Reports of a drone are "completely unfounded", the national guard said in a statement on its official Facebook page, suggesting that the fire may have been caused by a cigarette.
The Global Sumud Flotilla describes itself as an independent group not linked to any government or political party. Sumud means "resilience" in Arabic.
Breaking news;
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) September 8, 2025
Here is the security camera footage from the Family vessel of the Sumud Flotilla, stationing just outside Tunis port. So:
1. Sound of something that the crew identified as a drone.
2. Crews sounds the alarm and calls for help.
3. Explosion.
Draw your conclusions. pic.twitter.com/HmkFG7yaEt
Among its high-profile participants is Greta Thunberg, who addressed pro-Palestinian campaigners in Tunisia on Sunday.
Israel has already blocked two attempts by activists to deliver aid by ship to Gaza, in June and July.
The United Nations declared a state of famine in parts of Gaza, warning that 500,000 people face "catastrophic" conditions.
Greta Thunberg addressed crowds in Tunis, stating that 'just across the water from here, there is a genocide going on.'
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) September 8, 2025
Stressing the importance of keeping eyes on Gaza, she went on to call out the complicity of governments, institutions and the global media in enabling the mass… pic.twitter.com/C3KmvqzXAw