A ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza was attacked by drones Friday, disabling its engine and leaving 16 people stranded in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said its ship was targeted by Israeli drones just after midnight Friday morning, local time. The organization said the drones seemed to target the ship’s engines, which left the boat floating aimlessly.
There were no reported casualties.
“At 00:23 Maltese time, a #FreedomFlotilla ship was subjected to a drone attack. The front of the vessel was targeted twice, resulting in a fire and a breach in the hull,” Freedom Flotilla Coalition posted on X. “The ship is currently located in international waters near #Malta. An #SOS distress signal was sent.”
The organization published video and photos of the ship after the apparent attack, which showed flames engulfing the back of the vessel.
The Maltese government quickly dispatched a tugboat in response to the ship’s SOS message. Malta confirmed that all 16 passengers were accounted for and that there were no casualties.
According to the organization, the ship carried troves of humanitarian relief and more than a dozen activists. The group intended to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which the country instituted following a ceasefire breakdown in mid-March. Since then, no food, fuel or medical aid has been allowed into the country.
“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 Freedom Flotilla Coalition said in a statement.
International aid organizations have been sounding the alarm over conditions in Gaza, which some have said are at crisis levels. Humanitarian organizations already working inside Gaza have said that they delivered the last of their reserves, and charity organizations that provide meals to the desperate will likely cease operations within two weeks, Gaza officials said Friday.
Israeli officials say the blockade is necessary while it continues to conduct military operations inside Gaza, adding that Hamas steals humanitarian aid and sells it.
