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Days of Palestine
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Freedom Flotilla ship en route to Gaza hit by Israeli drone off Malta
DaysofPal- A ship belonging to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, en route to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, was attacked late last night by two drones believed to be Israeli, according to organizers and coalition sources. The incident occurred in international waters near Malta, prompting widespread condemnation and raising serious legal concerns. The targeted vessel, named Al-Dameer, was carrying 30 international activists and humanitarian supplies intended for the besieged Gaza Strip. While no casualties were reported, the ship sustained significant damage, including a fire and a hole in its hull. Zaher al-Birawi, head of the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza, stated that 'preliminary data indicates that the ship was targeted by a drone likely to be Israeli, which led to the outbreak of a fire in one of its parts.' He held Israel fully responsible for any harm to the passengers and urged Maltese authorities to take immediate action under international maritime law, noting that the attack occurred within Malta's maritime jurisdiction. In a formal statement, the Freedom Flotilla organizers accused Israel or one of its allies of conducting the strike, emphasizing that the vessel was anchored in international waters at the time. 'There were no casualties among the 30 international activists on board,' the statement confirmed. It also noted that a ship from southern Cyprus responded to the distress call. The Maltese authorities acknowledged the incident, confirming that they had responded to a distress signal from Al-Dameer's captain and assisted in extinguishing an engine fire in international waters off the island. The fire reportedly began after one of the drones struck the vessel's power generation system, setting the bow ablaze and damaging the hull. Nicole Jenness, an activist with the Campaign to Break the Siege on Gaza, stated, 'The ship was attacked by two drones.' A spokesperson for the Freedom Flotilla told CNN that 'the Israeli attack caused a hole in the ship and it was in the process of sinking before intervention to extinguish the fire and save it.' The activists had gathered in Malta from various countries and were expected to join Al-Dameer before it launched its mission toward Gaza. The vessel had anchored temporarily in international waters due to technical and insurance-related issues when it was attacked. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition posted a video on social media showing the fire on board shortly after midnight, providing visual evidence of the damage. An Al Jazeera reporter noted that the ship was also scheduled to carry several tons of aid to Gaza. The spokesperson for the flotilla coalition said that distress calls were sent out immediately after the attack, but only authorities in southern Cyprus responded by dispatching a rescue vessel. This is not the first time Israel has taken military action against the Freedom Flotilla. In 2010, Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara, another Gaza-bound aid ship, killing 10 Turkish citizens and arresting dozens of activists in international waters—a move widely condemned at the time. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has previously attempted to sail aid ships to Gaza from countries including Turkey and Libya. Israel has consistently stated that it will not allow unauthorized ships to reach the Palestinian enclave, maintaining a naval blockade that has been in place since 2007. Shortlink for this post:
Saba Yemen
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Hamas: Zionist enemy attack on Al-Dameer ship is crime of piracy, organized state terrorism
Gaza - (Saba): The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, stated that the criminal attack by the Zionist enemy's drones on the Al-Dameer ship, part of the Freedom Flotilla to break the siege on Gaza, last night in international waters while it was on its way to aid our people in the Gaza Strip, is a crime of piracy and organized state terrorism. Hamas condemned in the strongest terms this crime, which reflects the terrorist nature of the enemy entity and its blatant defiance of the will of humanity and justice. It held the fascist enemy government fully responsible for the safety of the ship and its crew, who face the risk of death as a result of this criminal attack. It commended the efforts of the ship's brave crew and the efforts of all activists working to break the siege and aggression on Gaza around the world, adding that "we support them and call on them to continue their path to expose the fascism of the Zionist war criminals." Hamas called on all countries of the world to condemn this crime, urging United Nations institutions, particularly the UN Security Council, to intervene to halt the violations perpetrated by the rogue occupying entity, compel it to cease its aggression against our people, and hold its leaders accountable for their crimes against humanity. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Saba Yemen
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Euro-Mediterranean calls for independent investigation into attack on Gaza-bound ship Al-Dameer
Gaza - (Saba): The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor confirmed that the targeting of the aid ship Al-Dameer, bound for the Gaza Strip, by drones in international waters, 17 nautical miles off the coast of Malta, is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, the Law of the Sea, and the Rome Statute, which prohibits the targeting of humanitarian objects. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor stated that "the attack falls within a recurring and documented pattern of the use of force to prevent ships from reaching Gaza, even before they approach its shores." It called for an independent and transparent investigation under Maltese jurisdiction and with UN participation, stressing the need to hold accountable all those who planned, ordered, or participated in this attack. It also called for immediate guarantees for safe maritime passage for humanitarian aid bound for Gaza. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor stated that any failure to act today will only encourage further attacks on humanitarian missions and deepen the catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. It emphasized that neutrality in the face of this crime does not absolve one of responsibility, but rather perpetuates impunity. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Al Bawaba
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Israel strike targets Gaza-Bound freedom flotilla near Malta
ALBAWABA - According to sources cited by Al Jazeera, an Israeli drone attack targeted one of the Freedom Flotilla ships sailing toward Gaza, resulting in serious damage and a fire. The incident happened in international seas close to Malta late on Wednesday night. Around thirty international human rights activists were on board the ship, "Al-Dameer," which was sailing from Tunisia. A flotilla spokeswoman said that the ship was struck by two drone attacks, one of which damaged its power generator, resulting in a fire in the bow and a breach in the hull. Thankfully, organizers verified that there were no reported injuries among the passengers. Later, the Maltese authorities said that the fire had been contained and verified that all 16 people on board were safe. However, video that flotilla organizers posted online showed flames ripping across a portion of the ship. A distress call and a video verifying the incident were leaked by one activist. The flotilla's media coordinator told CNN that the ship had a big hole in it and was sinking rapidly when assistance got there. BREAKING: 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. The ship is currently located in international waters near #Malta. An #SOS distress signal was sent. — Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) May 2, 2025 Serious Alerts and Charges The leader of the International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza, Zaher Al-Birawi, told Al Jazeera Net that preliminary evidence suggests the assailant was an Israeli drone. He blamed Israel for the strike and warned that if rescue measures were not launched right enough, the ship may sink. Noting that the incident took place inside Malta's maritime authority, he further urged the Maltese authorities to act immediately. Authorities in southern Cyprus were the only ones to react to the activists' repeated distress calls by sending a rescue vessel. For technical and insurance concerns, the "Al-Dameer" had been moored in international seas. According to Al Jazeera, the ship was carrying tons of humanitarian goods meant for the beleaguered Gaza Strip, and more activists from Malta were expected to join the crew. Protests over Malta's inability to let the ship to port or promptly react to emergency calls are planned, according to the organizers. Similar attempts to bring relief ships to Gaza from nations like Turkey and Libya were coordinated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition last year. Israel has previously used force against humanitarian flotillas and has maintained a tight naval blockade of Gaza for a long time. Ten Turkish protestors were killed when Israeli commandos attacked the Mavi Marmara, another Freedom Flotilla ship, in international seas in 2010.
