Above photo: Swedish activist Greta Thunberg departs with other activists on the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian expedition to Gaza, from the port of Barcelona, Spain on August 31, 2025. Reuters/Nacho Doce.
Update:
BREAKING
Israeli drones are attacking the Global Sumud #Flotilla — dropping explosive devices and chemical weapons on several boats.
This is a peaceful civilian-humanitarian mission now under direct #Israeli assault. pic.twitter.com/aboKmfkKL9
— ✪ Ahmed badyan (@medobadyan) September 24, 2025
The Global Sumud Flotilla is being targeted by as of yet non-lethal psychological attacks with include drones and the hijacking of our VHF radios.
They’re playing ABBA. Probably in line with their weird obsession with Greta.
We will not be deterred. pic.twitter.com/O49IJy2UXu
— Greg J Stoker (@gregjstoker) September 23, 2025
Two boats in the flotilla came under drone attack while in Tunisia.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry on Monday issued a threat to the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is attempting to break Israel’s starvation siege on Gaza, warning that it wouldn’t allow the boats to breach the Israeli blockade.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has also labeled the flotilla as “Hamas,” suggesting that Israel may target the boats with military strikes. Earlier this month, two of the boats came under drone attack while they were in port in Tunisia, causing fires and damage but no injuries to the crew.
“Statement Regarding the Hamas Flotilla (‘Sumud’): This flotilla, organized by Hamas, is intended to serve Hamas,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote on X. “Israel will not allow vessels to enter an active combat zone and will not allow the breach of a lawful naval blockade.”
The ministry said that if the “flotilla participants’ genuine wish is to deliver humanitarian aid rather than serve Hamas, Israel calls on the vessels to dock at the Ashkelon Marina and unload the aid there, from where it will be transferred promptly in a coordinated manner to the Gaza Strip.” But the IDF continues to block food aid and humanitarian goods from entering Gaza despite an ongoing famine in the Palestinian territory.
NEW: The Global Sumud Flotilla responds to Israel’s demand that aid ships “dock & transfer” through Ashkelon, and adds that Israel’s rhetorical escalation is part of its strategy to deligetimize and obstruct efforts to get aid to Gaza. pic.twitter.com/V6Tbi9PXvH
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) September 23, 2025
Dozens of boats are participating in the Sumud Flotilla, marking the fourth attempt this year to break Israel’s blockade, and the first time multiple vessels are being used in a single effort. According to a flotilla tracker, a total of 51 boats are heading to Gaza, with the majority currently off the coast of Libya.
The first boat to try to break the blockade this year, the Conscience, came under Israeli drone attack off the coast of Malta in May, halting its journey.
In June, another boat, the Madleen, made it close to Gaza’s coast before being boarded and seized by Israeli forces and taken into an Israeli port. The third boat, the Hamdala, was also captured by Israeli forces, and the humanitarian aid it was carrying was seized when it attempted to break the blockade in late July.
Back in 2010, Israeli forces raided six boats attempting to break the blockade on Gaza, and nine Turkish activists were killed on one of the vessels.
