DaysofPal- The Maghreb “Freedom Flotilla” to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza announced it had raised its security alert level after three unidentified drones were spotted flying over one of its vessels late Sunday.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the flotilla reported that the crew of the ship Mali/Deir Yassin detected three drones hovering overhead, one of which approached the vessel at what was described as a “close and dangerous distance.”
The incident was labeled a “worrying development” that posed a potential threat to the safety of the crew and participants on board.
According to the statement, the crew immediately implemented surveillance and response measures under standard security protocols, after which the drones eventually withdrew without any confrontation or direct engagement.
Speaking from aboard the Deir Yassin, flotilla steering committee spokesperson Wael Nawar said that the fleet has been sailing for nearly six days since departing Tunisia.
“We left Italian waters near Sicily today and are heading into international waters close to Greece. We are in good health, with firm determination, and we are moving toward breaking the siege on Gaza,” he said.
Nawar added that the Deir Yassin is leading the convoy but will reduce its speed to remain aligned with the rest of the flotilla.
He confirmed that only a few days remain before their planned arrival on the Gaza coast.
The Maghreb flotilla is part of the larger “Global Freedom Flotilla,” which includes around 50 ships carrying humanitarian aid and medical supplies.
On board are activists from Europe, Latin America, Arab countries, the United States, Pakistan, India, and Malaysia.
This mission follows earlier reports that two Israeli drones targeted flotilla vessels docked at Tunisia’s Sidi Bou Said port in separate incidents, though the Israeli occupation has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.
It is the first time such a large number of ships have sailed together toward Gaza, home to 2.4 million Palestinians who have lived under a strict Israeli blockade for 18 years.
The Israeli occupation has previously intercepted and seized individual aid ships bound for Gaza, detaining and deporting activists.
Since March 2, the Israeli occupation has closed all crossings into Gaza, preventing the entry of food and humanitarian aid.
Despite convoys of relief trucks piling up at the borders, only limited shipments are occasionally allowed in, far below the enclave’s urgent needs.
Local authorities stated that the Israeli occupation is enabling the looting of aid trucks by armed gangs, deepening the humanitarian crisis.
Backed by U.S. support, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza since October 7, 2023, has left at least 65,283 Palestinians dead and 166,575 wounded, most of them women and children. Starvation has claimed the lives of at least 442 people, including 147 children, amid what rights groups describe as an ongoing genocide.
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