A ship that is expected to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza has been struck by drones in international waters near Malta, according to the group behind the mission.
A fire broke out following the attack but was then under control, the authorities confirmed.
The ship, named conscience, transported 12 crew members and four civilians when the incident occurred about 26 kilometers from the Maltese coast.
The Malta government said that a nearby tug had responded to the distress call, but those on board chose not to abandon the ship. No injury has been reported and all on board were safely confirmed.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the expedition, accused Israel of having led the attack.
Although he offered no direct evidence related Israel to the incident, he published a video where an explosion can be heard and another showing flames engulfing part of the ship.
The Israeli army has not responded to requests for comments.
The attack comes in the midst of an aggravation of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been under a complete blockade since March, Israel stopping all imports, including food and medicine.
Israel says that the blockade is intended to put pressure on Hamas to release the hostages it has been holding since its foray on October 7, 2023 in southern Israel.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said that the conscience strike seemed to target its generator, creating an important violation in the hull and eliminating the power of the ship, leaving it at risk of flowing.
Charlie Andreasson, a long -standing member of the group, told the Associated Press that he had spoken to those who were on board, who said they had heard two explosions before the fire. Photos published by the Cypriot authorities have shown visible damage alongside the ship.
Marine Traffic, a ship's monitoring platform, showed that conscience had left the Tunisian port of Bizerte on Tuesday and entered the area where the attack took place on Thursday morning. The organizers said the ship was hit soon after midnight on Friday.
The incident echoes the mortal raid of 2010 on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which is part of a flotre with the aid to the previous Gaza, in which the Israeli forces killed nine activists after storming the ship.
Humanitarian crisis
Meanwhile, the aid agencies sounded the alarm on the rapid deterioration situation in Gaza. The International Committee of the Red Cross warned on Friday that its humanitarian operations could collapse without the immediate recovery of aid deliveries.
Risk programs include municipal kitchens offering the only meal of the day to many residents.
ADVERTISEMENT“Help should be allowed to enter Gaza. Hosting must be released. Civilians must be protected,” said the ICRC.
“Without immediate action, Gaza will descend further into chaos that humanitarian efforts will not be able to attenuate,” added the group.
The war began when Hamas activists attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, most civilians.
Hamas has taken 251 people in hostages and currently has 59, 24 of whom are considered alive.
ADVERTISEMENTA subsequent Israeli offensive to date has killed 52,400 Palestinians to date, mainly women and children, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health managed by Hamas whose figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The Israeli army said that 850 of its soldiers have died since the start of the war.
