A drone has hit a ship carrying aid to the Gaza Strip off the coast of Malta, “Codepink“ reported today. (Codepink) - a civil society movement for peace and social justice, quoted by the Associated Press, reported BTA.
The vessel, owned by the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, was supposed to deliver food and supplies to the population of Gaza, the statement said.
The Maltese government said that 12 crew members and four civilians were on board the stricken ship, with no information about casualties.
The Israeli army has not yet responded to AP requests for comment on the subject.
Charlie Andreasson, who has been involved in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla for more than a decade, told the AP that he spoke to people on board who said there were two explosions and a fire.
Although the people on board are safe, Andreasson said there is a risk the ship sank because its generator was knocked out and the vessel was unable to move.
For two months, Israel blocked all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, causing the worst humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory since the war began nearly 19 months ago, the AP notes.
In 2010, during an attempt by a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to break the blockade of Gaza, Israeli forces stormed the Turkish ship “Mavi Marmara“, killing nine people on board. The incident led to the severing of diplomatic relations between Israel and Turkey.