Tunisia Denies Drone Attack on Gaza Aid Flotilla Vessel

The Global Sumud Flotilla, an international group including activist Greta Thunberg, reported that one of their Portuguese-flagged boats heading to Gaza was struck by a drone in Tunisian waters, causing a fire but no injuries. Crew member Miguel Duarte insisted a drone dropped a bomb on the vessel, describing the incident as a deliberate attack. However, Tunisian authorities, including the National Guard, denied the drone strike claims, stating that the explosion originated from inside the vessel and that reports of a drone attack had no basis in truth. The flotilla, comprising about 20 boats from 44 countries, is the largest civilian maritime effort to challenge Israel's blockade of Gaza, and organizers vowed to continue their mission despite the incident. The United Nations special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories condemned the attack as an assault on Tunisia's sovereignty. Investigations by Tunisian security units and the flotilla are ongoing to determine the cause of the blast.