The “Global Sumud” flotilla, bringing together crews from 44 countries in a bid to break the blockade of Gaza, came under a fresh large-scale attack overnight Tuesday to Wednesday off the coast of Crete, Greece, organizers and witnesses said.
According to initial accounts, 13 explosive devices were dropped on boats, mostly those with sails up, a journalist from French daily L’Humanité reported from aboard the “MiaMia,” one of 51 vessels mobilized in solidarity with Gazans.
Witnesses said around 15 drones flew over the flotilla’s largest sailboat at dusk before chemicals with a “rotten egg smell” were released on two vessels. Explosions were then heard from midnight until around 2:30 a.m.
On the “MiaMia,” sails were lowered after the first blast, but other boats were hit and damaged. Organizers reported “widespread communication disruptions,” raising “immediate safety concerns” for the 500 participants. No injuries were reported.
The flotilla spotted an unidentified vessel nearby that was not part of the convoy. In a statement, organizers recalled that “international law is clear: civilians, including those engaged in humanitarian missions, are protected under the Geneva Convention,” adding that “any attacks against this mission constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
The crews, set to be joined by six more boats departing from Greece, had already been on alert after being overflown by drones on the night of September 21-22.
In June and July, the Zionist forces blocked two previous flotillas that attempted to reach Gaza by sea. Following the latest attack, the Global Sumud Flotilla said: “We are now direct witnesses of these psychological operations, but we will not be intimidated.”
