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Gaza Aid Flotilla Reports Drone Attacks in International Waters

Alleged flash-bang grenade detonation (Global Sumud Flotilla)
Alleged flash-bang grenade detonation (Global Sumud Flotilla)

Published Sep 24, 2025 12:30 AM by The Maritime Executive

 

The Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of small activist vessels carrying aid for Gaza, has reported another round of drone harassment at sea. Earlier this month, the group claimed that it experienced drone-delivered pyrotechnic attacks while at anchor off Tunisia; on Tuesday it claimed that some of its boats had been hit by flash-bang grenades and other less-lethal munitions while operating in international waters, about 600-700 nautical miles away from Gaza. 

The Sumud Flotilla is a convoy of fifty boats carrying dozens of pro-Palestinian activists from around the world. The group's mission is to deliver a symbolic cargo of baby formula, medicine and food to the beach in Gaza, breaching Israel's long-running naval blockade. All previous attempts have ended in interdiction and arrest by the Israeli Navy in international waters. 

In a social media statement, flotilla spokeswoman and former UN official Francesca Albanese claimed that the boats had been attacked half a dozen times with "sound bombs, explosive flares and sprayed with suspected chemicals" overnight Tuesday. According to Albanese, the boats also experienced radio jamming. 

Israel's government acknowledges that the convoy carries aid for Gaza, but it claims that Palestinian terrorist group Hamas has infiltrated the group's ranks, and it has called for the boats to divert from their planned course. 

"It has become clear that, without the knowledge of many participants, violent Hamas elements have been involved in the organization and finance of the flotilla and that they are planning to violently clash with the IDF," claimed Israeli Ambassador to Belgium Idit Rosenzweig-Abu in a statement. "All vessels wishing to transfer humanitarian aid are advised to dock at Ashqelon Marina, their onboard humanitarian aid will be transferred to the UN to be taken to Gaza."

The flotilla organizers deny these claims, and they accuse Israel of orchestrating the drone attacks in order to dissuade the boats from proceeding.