Tunisian authorities have rejected claims that a humanitarian aid flotilla headed to Gaza — including activists such as Greta Thunberg — was struck by a drone while docked off the coast of Sidi Bou Said.
Organisers from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) said their Portuguese-flagged vessel, known as the Family boat, was hit by an incendiary device in Tunisian waters, sparking a fire on the main deck that the crew managed to extinguish. Videos posted to the group’s Instagram showed flames and smoke onboard, alongside testimonies from passengers.
However, Tunisia’s national guard spokesperson told AFP that “no drone was detected” and described the attack reports as baseless. An initial inspection suggested that the blast originated inside the vessel itself. The investigation is ongoing.
Francesca Albanese’s Reaction
UN Human Rights Council special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, a Tunis-based legal expert and outspoken critic of Israel’s Gaza offensive, was present at the port when the incident occurred. On X, she wrote that she was “trying to figure out the facts with local authorities.” She warned that, if confirmed, an external attack would amount to an assault on Tunisian sovereignty.
Albanese has faced political backlash in recent months: in July she was sanctioned by the United States, a move welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A History of Confrontation at Sea
The Global Sumud Flotilla left Barcelona last week in a symbolic attempt to “break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza.” But the movement has faced repeated obstacles:
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In June 2025, Israeli forces intercepted another aid boat carrying Thunberg and 11 other activists, detaining them and deporting them from Ashdod.
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In May, the Freedom Flotilla accused Israel of using a drone to strike its ship The Conscience near Malta.
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And in 2010, Israeli commandos killed 10 people aboard the Mavi Marmara in one of the most infamous flotilla confrontations to date.
Israel insists that such sailings are “publicity stunts” rather than genuine humanitarian efforts.
Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis
The flotilla controversy comes against the backdrop of a deepening humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Last month, a UN-backed body confirmed famine in the territory, blaming Israel’s “systematic obstruction” of aid deliveries. Israel rejected the findings as an “outright lie”.
Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 hostages taken, Israel’s military campaign has devastated Gaza. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, at least 64,522 people have been killed by Israeli strikes.
With restrictions on aid and repeated clashes at sea, flotillas like the Global Sumud mission have become both a humanitarian gesture and a flashpoint in the wider conflict.
