The global Samud Flotilla (GSF) has confirmed its leading boat, name the Family, was hit while travelling in Tunisian waters on Tuesday. Fire damages were suffered on the boat’s main deck and below deck storage. Although it is not yet clear if this was a hit, the explosion was experienced by the six steering crew members on board at the time, including 22-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. There were no reported injuries.
“Acts of aggression aimed at intimidating and derailing our mission will not deter us,” the Global Samud Flotilla said. “Our peaceful mission to break the siege on Gaza and stand in solidarity with its people continues with determination and resolve.” The GSF released CCTV footage of the moment the boat was struck, with passengers onboard heard screaming for help. “We’ve been hit. Fire,” someone can be heard yelling. Israel has not yet commented on the strike. The GSF is a citizen-led maritime initiative with a mission to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. The organisation says it is investigating the strike and will release more information when available.
The mission of the GSF is one the whole world should support. The purpose of the GSF is to raise awareness of plight of people of Gaza in the face of the Zionist regime. The flotilla of ships is carrying much needed food and medical aid for the Palestinians of Gaza. Hopefully the explosion on board can be investigated. It would certainly be possible that this could have been an accident. As the investigation commences the truth will come out. The flotilla was possibly just setting off from Tunisia when the explosion happened. It had not yet reached Gaza and Israel. Even if it did reach there it would have found coastal waters guarded by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) Navy.
Arab media attributed the drone to Israel, but neither the IDF nor the flotilla has verified where the supposed drone came from. Tunisian Police said that the explosion was likely due to a technical malfunction on the ship, according to Maariv. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who was in Tunisia for the launch, posted surveillance footage from one of the boats and asked viewers to draw their own conclusions. “Of course, it will have to be verified, but there is a history of attacks on the flotilla, there are current statements against the flotilla, threatening the flotilla, from Israel,” Albanese said in an Instagram video. “The question is: If it is confirmed that it is a drone attack, it will be an assault, an aggression against Tunisia and against Tunisian sovereignty,” she added. Albanese wrote earlier on Tuesday morning that there were another two boats on their way to Tunisia that needed “urgent protection.”
It is fortunate that no one aboard the ship was seriously injured. This could have been an accident or not. It would be pointless to speculate. Greta Thunberg is known the world over for her activism against climate change and humanitarian views. The mission of the GSF is to raise awareness concerning the plight of the Palestinian people amid devastation. An investigation is taking place and verification will follow. UN Special Rapporteur Albanese is right to warn that the flotilla has not been safe from attacks by the Israeli military forces. Even the Israeli intelligence forces could have had their role. But there would be no good in speculation. The allegations of a drone attack need to be investigated by the relevant authorities. Given this happened in Tunisian coastal waters, it could be seen as an assault on Tunisian sovereignty. But only an investigation can determine if it was a foreign attack or an explosion due to something having gone wrong with the engines.
The truth will come out in the days to follow.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
