Tunisia denies claims Greta Thunberg’s Gaza flotilla was hit by drone

[ad_1] <img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/af01/live/6b9035f0-8d18-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/af01/live/6b9035f0-8d18-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/af01/live/6b9035f0-8d18-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/af01/live/6b9035f0-8d18-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/af01/live/6b9035f0-8d18-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/af01/live/6b9035f0-8d18-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/af01/live/6b9035f0-8d18-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/af01/live/6b9035f0-8d18-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="EPA Three sailing boats are seen anchored in turquoise waters, with Palestinian flags strung through the rigging and masts of the vessels." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> EPA A part of the International Sumud Flotilla pictured off the coast of Sidi Bou Stated port in Tunisia

Tunisian authorities have denied claims that one of many Gaza-bound vessels carrying support and pro-Palestinian activists together with Greta Thunberg was attacked by a drone.

The organisers of the flotilla, International Sumud Flotilla (GSF), mentioned that the Portuguese-flagged vessel had been struck by a drone whereas anchored exterior the port of Sidi Bou Stated in Tunisia. All six passengers and crew have been protected, they added.

A spokesperson for Tunisia's nationwide guard instructed the Agence France-Presse information company that "no drone" had been detected and the investigation was ongoing.

The humanitarian support flotilla set sail from Barcelona final week, and arrived in Tunisia on Sunday .

The GSF mentioned their "Household boat" was struck in Tunisian waters, and hearth had broken the principle deck.

In a collection of movies printed to their Instagram, spokespeople for the GSF mentioned an "incendiary machine" brought about a hearth onboard the vessel, which the crew was in a position to extinguish.

Tunisia's Nationwide Guard spokesman instructed Mosaique FM radio that stories of a drone assault on the flotilla "don't have any foundation in reality", Reuters reported.

He added that an preliminary inspection indicated the explosion originated contained in the vessel.

UN Human Rights Council particular rapporteur and Tunisian resident Francesca Albanese, who was additionally featured in movies shared by the GSF, mentioned that if an assault may very well be verified it will be an "assault and aggression towards Tunisia, and Tunisian sovereignty".

In a put up to 'X', she mentioned she was at Sidi Bou Stated port and "attempting to determine the information with native authorities".

Albanese has been a distinguished critic of Israel's navy offensive in Gaza, and has been topic to sanctions imposed by the US in July - a call welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who known as them a "agency measure towards the mendacious smear marketing campaign" towards Israel.

Flotilla organisers have mentioned that the intention of their mission is to "break Israel's unlawful siege on Gaza", however have confronted a number of setbacks.

In June, Israeli forces boarded a ship carrying humanitarian support to Gaza and detained the 12 activists onboard, together with Swedish activist Thunberg.

Israeli authorities escorted the activists to the port of Ashdod earlier than deporting them from the nation.

Israeli authorities have characterised the makes an attempt to sail support to Gaza as publicity stunts that supplied no actual humanitarian help.

There have additionally been prior allegations of drone assaults on support ships sure for Gaza; the Freedom Flotilla alleged that its ship The Conscience was struck by a drone in Might off the coast of Malta.

The BBC was sent a recording of the distress call from the flotilla ship , recorded by a crew member on a close-by oil tanker. The captain of the flotilla ship may be heard reporting drone strikes and a hearth onboard.

The Maltese authorities mentioned everybody aboard the ship was "confirmed protected" and {that a} hearth onboard the ship was "introduced beneath management in a single day".

Final month a UN-backed physique confirmed that there was famine in Gaza and the UN's humanitarian chief mentioned it was the direct results of Israel's "systematic obstruction" of support getting into Gaza.

The report was labelled an "outright lie" by Israel, which has denied there's hunger within the territory.

In March, it launched an almost three-month whole blockade on provides getting into the Strip, claiming the help was being taken by Hamas.

It began permitting a restricted quantity of support again into the territory after rising worldwide stress.

Israel has since tried to impose its personal distribution system via the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Basis, which has been criticised by support businesses.

In 2010, Israeli commandos killed 10 individuals once they boarded Turkish ship Mavi Marmara which was main an support flotilla in the direction of Gaza.

The Israeli navy launched a marketing campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led assault on 7 October 2023, by which about 1,200 individuals have been killed and 251 others have been taken hostage.

At the least 64,522 individuals have been killed in Israeli assaults in Gaza since then, in keeping with the territory's Hamas-run well being ministry.