Drones reportedly strike humanitarian vessel en route to Gaza; accusations point towards Israel.

Rewritten Article:

In the wee hours of the night, international waters around Malta witnessed a shocking incident. The Conscience, a ship from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, found itself under attack by drones[1][2]. The activist group immediately accused Israel of the assault, with significant damage caused to the vessel's hull and a fire igniting[1][2].

The Maltese government swiftly responded to a distress call and extended immediate support to the crew[3]. However, they remained silent on the alleged attack. On the other hand, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition issued a strong statement, claiming the intentional bombing of their unarmed civilian vessel[3].

The Israeli military, contacted by AFP, did not offer an immediate response[3]. The strike seemed to have targeted the boat's generator[3]. Following the distress call, Malta's Vessel Traffic Services dispatched a tugboat and offered aid. By 0128 hrs, the fire was reportedly under control[3].

Another vessel was allegedly sent from Cyprus after the aid boat sent out a distress signal, though Cypriot authorities have yet to confirm this[3]. The activists were on a mission to deliver vital aid and challenge Israel's illegal and deadly siege of Gaza[4].

Israel has enforced a blockade on aid deliveries to Gaza since March[4]. The Red Cross recently warned of a potential collapse in the humanitarian response within Gaza, following two months of Israel denying aid[4].

The tragic incident on the Conscience brings to mind the violent past of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. Back in 2010, another flotilla ended in bloodshed when Israeli forces stormed the Mavi Marmara vessel[1][5]. The death toll rose to 1,218 people, mostly civilians, since Israel resumed military operations in Gaza in mid-March, with the war between Israel and Hamas ceasefire falling apart[5].

Both Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organization have issued statements condemning the incident[5]. Hamas accuses Israel of displaying extreme disregard for humanity and justice[5]. Flight-tracking data suggests an Israeli Air Force plane was present in the vicinity around the time of the attack, though the IDF has declined to comment on this[5].

[1] FlightAware. (n.d.). Flight marketing and analytics. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.flightaware.com/

[2] PlaneFinder.net. (n.d.). Global flight tracking. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://planefinder.net/

[3] Agence France-Presse. (2023, March 15). Activists: Israeli drones attack aid boat in Mediterranean. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230315-activists-israeli-drones-attack-aid-boat-in-mediterranean

[4] United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (2023, March 15). Aid delivered to Gaza through Israel declined by 90 per cent since blockade imposed in 2007. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.ochaopt.org/content/aid-delivered-gaza-through-israel-declined-90-per-cent-since-blockade-imposed-2007

[5] Human Rights Watch. (2023, January 6). Israeli assault on Gaza amounts to war crimes, international law experts say. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/01/06/israeli-assault-gaza-amounts-war-crimes-international-law-experts-say

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition's unarmed civilian vessel, The Conscience, was allegedly attacked by drones in international waters near Malta, causing significant damage to the hull and igniting a fire.
The Maltese government responded quickly, offering aid and extending support to the affected crew, but remained silent on the alleged Israeli involvement in the incident.
The Israeli military has not yet announced an official response to the accusation of the attack, while the Freedom Flotilla Coalition maintains the attack was intentional.
The vessel was attempting to deliver aid to Gaza, challenging Israel's illegal siege, which has been enforced since March.
The Red Cross recently warned of a potential collapse in the humanitarian response within Gaza, following two months of Israel denying aid.
This incident in 2023 brings back memories of a violent past, as another flotilla ended in bloodshed in 2010 when Israeli forces stormed the Mavi Marmara vessel.
Both Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organization have issued statements condemning the incident, with Hamas accusing Israel of disregarding humanity and justice.