[Regnum] A ship of the Freedom Flotilla
| …a project of Turkey’s IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, a semi-official "charity" branch of the Erdogan government that links the government, the Turkish branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, and pet jihadi groups like ISIS in Syria, among others. IHH puts together a Freedom Flotilla every few years. Except for the first one in 2010, which was raided by the IDF on the high seas, none of the rest have made it across the Mediterranean, as I recall. I was not even aware they’d put together another one… |
“There is now a hole in the ship and it is sinking,” coalition press attaché Yasemin Akar told the TV channel by telephone.
According to the Maltese government, there were 16 people on board the ship - 12 crew members and four passengers, while according to the Freedom Flotilla, there were 30 people on board.
Akar noted that the ship was attacked twice off the coast of Malta in international waters and is currently anchored 17 km from the shore and sending out SOS signals.
The Freedom Flotilla advocates for an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
| The Times of Israel’s take on the story: |
and activists bound for Gazoo...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about
oppressionand
disproportionate response...
was bombed by drones while in international waters off Malta overnight Thursday-Friday, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a pro-Paleostinian activist group, said.
The Saudi Al Arabiya news channel, citing a Western security source, reported that the convoy was organized by Hamas
..always the voice of sweet reason...and that those onboard planned to engage with IDF troops as they approached the Gaza shore.
| Engage the army? An interesting choice. Just as well they were stopped before they got there. |
"The Freedom Flotilla Coalition had been organizing a non
| That does explain why we weren’t aware that a new flotilla was in the offing. |
The statement said the vessel was struck twice by armed drones 17 nautical miles (31.5 kilometers) east of Malta, "causing a fire and a substantial breach in the hull," and that, as of the last communication with the boat, the drones were still circling the ship.
The ship immediately issued an SOS distress call, to which Cyprus responded by dispatching a vessel, the group said.
"The dronezap appears to have deliberately targeted the ship’s generator, leaving the crew without power and placing the vessel at great risk of sinking," the statement said.
The group also accused Malta of violating customary international law by not sending assistance to the boat. The Maltese government rejected the claim, saying in a statement that a tugboat was sent to the area and brought the fire under control.
The government statement added that there were no casualties from the strike and that the ship’s 16 passengers refused to be taken ashore.
"The tug arrived on scene and began firefighting operations. By 1:28 a.m. (23:28 GMT Thursday), the fire was reported to be under control. An Armed Forces of Malta patrol vessel was also dispatched to provide further assistance," Malta said.
"By 2:13 a.m., all crew were confirmed safe but refused to board the tug... The ship remains outside territorial waters and is being monitored by the competent authorities," the statement concluded.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition blamed Israel for the strike, saying in its statement: "Israeli ambassadors must be summoned and answer to violations of international law, including the ongoing blockade and the bombing of our civilian vessel in international waters."
The group did not provide any evidence for its claim.
While Israel did not officially comment on the allegations, an unsourced report claimed Friday morning that the ship is affiliated with Hamas. "Some define the ship attacked next to Malta as Hamas-affiliated, and say that it was a sophisticated aerial attack," Yedioth Ahronoth military correspondent Yossi Yehoshua wrote on X.