A Gaza-bound flotilla carrying humanitarian aid and pro-Palestinian activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, has alleged that one of its vessels was struck by a drone while docked in Tunisia.
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) released footage appearing to show a flaming object hitting the Family Boat at Sidi Bou Said port, near Tunis. The Portuguese-flagged vessel was carrying six passengers and crew, all of whom were unharmed.
Dozens of supporters gathered at the port following the incident, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Free Palestine”. Organisers said Thunberg had been aboard the vessel earlier in the mission but was not present at the time.
Tunisia’s interior ministry rejected claims of a drone strike, stating that “reports… have no basis in truth” and that a fire had broken out on the vessel itself. Officials suggested the blaze may have originated from onboard materials.
Portuguese activist Miguel Duarte, who was on the Family Boat, told reporters he saw a drone hovering a few metres above before it “dropped a bomb” onto a pile of life jackets, sparking a fire. “We picked up the fire extinguishers… everybody was safe, fortunately,” he said.
The GSF said an investigation was under way and findings would be released when available. The flotilla, comprising civilian boats from 44 countries, aims to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver aid. Among those involved are Portuguese politician Mariana Mortágua and other international activists.
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories, said that if confirmed, a drone strike would constitute “an assault… against Tunisian sovereignty”.
Israel has maintained a naval blockade on Gaza since 2007, citing the need to prevent weapons reaching Hamas. The current conflict began in October 2023 when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Gaza’s health ministry says more than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s subsequent military campaign.
In recent months, aid flotillas have faced repeated confrontations. In June, Israeli forces seized a British-flagged yacht carrying Thunberg, dismissing the voyage as a propaganda exercise. In May, another aid vessel was reportedly disabled by drones off Malta.
Despite the latest incident, GSF organisers said they remained committed to their mission. “Our will is stronger and we are more determined than ever to break the blockade against Gaza,” Tunisian organiser Ghassen Henchiri told supporters. The flotilla is scheduled to depart Tunisia on Wednesday.
