The mission aims to reach the Gaza coast this weekend. Photo: EFE.
The ship seeks to establish a civilian maritime corridor to break the naval blockade that Israel has imposed on Gaza since 2007
Rome, June 5 (RHC)-- The Freedom Flotilla coalition reported this Tuesday that the Madleen vessel is being harassed by Israeli drones during its journey to the Gaza Strip. They reported that at 11:12 PM (local time), a drone began flying over the vessel, but fortunately did not attack the ship.
After informing the team on land, they contacted Search and Rescue. The local agency told them it was a Heron surveillance drone from the Hellenic Coast Guard, i.e., an Israeli drone.
In a message shared through the humanitarian group's X account, they thanked everyone who is sharing their live updates and encouraged them to stay tuned for updates. The ship, which departed on Sunday from Catania, Sicily, with humanitarian aid, seeks to establish a civilian maritime corridor to break the naval blockade that Israel has imposed since 2007.
Prominent international activists are on board, including Swedish Greta Thunberg, French MEP Rima Hassan, and representatives of seven nationalities.
The mission aims to reach the Gaza coast this weekend, despite previous attempts—such as the Conscience ship in May, which was attacked twice by Israel—being violently intercepted.
Israel justifies the naval blockade as a "security measure" in the face of the Freedom Flotillas' constant attempts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, international law experts maintain that these actions violate the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and constitute collective punishment prohibited in armed conflict. The most serious case occurred in 2010, when the assault on the Mavi Marmara left ten activists dead.
The Flotilla denounced that the Israeli siege exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where food and medicine are scarce after 19 months of extermination. The organizers insist that their missions seek to uphold international law and expose the illegal and genocidal blockade maintained by Tel Aviv.
The mission has made multiple attempts to reach Gaza, facing constant aggression from Israel. These attacks, documented in previous years (2011, 2015, and 2018), highlight Tel Aviv's hostile policy toward humanitarian missions seeking to break the blockade on Palestinian territory.
The most recent incident occurred in May, when the Freedom Flotilla vessel Conscience was attacked by Israeli drones while in international waters near Malta. According to the organizers, the vessel received at least two direct hits, severely damaging its infrastructure.
[ SOURCE: teleSUR ]
