No clear word if anti-genocide activists rescued
A ‘Gaza freedom flotilla’ ship has been holed and set on fire after an attack by drones in international waters as it tried to reach Gaza to bring aid and peacefully protest against Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians.
The vessel was bombed twice by a number of drones at twenty-three minutes past midnight local time this morning not far from Malta and was soon burning and holed below the waterline. Crew members put out an SOS call but the only help was sent from Cyprus, which is further from the ship’s location. It is unclear whether a rescue vessel has yet reached the ship and contact between the crew and their teammates on Malta has not been restored, but Maltese authorities claimed that the fire had been extinguished and they were ‘monitoring’ its situation.
A statement from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) has made clear that the group believes, quite rationally, that Israel is behind the attack:
Armed drones attacked the front of an unarmed civilian vessel twice, causing a fire and a substantial breach in the hull.
Israeli ambassadors must be summoned and answer to violations of international law, including the ongoing blockade and the bombing of our civilian vessel in international waters.
A map posted by supporters shows how far the vessel was from Israel when it was attacked, making it likely that Israel either used agents in Malta or on a civilian ship in the area to control the drones:
Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin posted an image of the vessel receiving help to fight the fire and demanded to know – no doubt with no expectation – whether the US will treat Israel’s assault on shipping like it has Yemen:
Actor and anti-genocide activist Liam Cunningham called for an immediate answer why Malta appeared to have ignored the Handala’s SOS call:
An update on the FFC website, updated fifteen minutes ago at the time of writing, indicates that the ship is still ‘in distress, despite calls from UN officials and others for immediate assistance by governments of countries within reach and for global action against fascist Israel.
I received a distressed call from the people of the Freedom Flotilla that is carrying essential food and medicine to the starving Gaza population. I call on concerned state authorities, including maritime authorities, to support the ship and its crew as needed. I trust the competent authorities will also ascertain the facts and intervene appropriately.
UN Special Rapporteur for Palestine Francesca Albanese.
We live in an time where ships carrying the most advanced weaponry in the world pass freely, and ships carrying urgent humanitarian aid to a starving population burn. ‘Israel’ is willing to bomb humanitarian ships to maintain its policy of starving the Palestinian people as a method of warfare.
Dr Shahd Hammouri, University of Kent.
Assuming, as appears to be the case, that the attack is attributable to Israel, it signals a clear violation of the right to life, as well as a war crime. It is only lucky that the measure has not claimed lives. The location of the attack in international waters proximate to Malta, requires urgent investigation and accountability. I expect maritime safety authorities too to reexamine their relations with Israel, due to the violation of the freedom of navigation, and the risk imposed upon the seafaring community in the Mediterranean.
Itamar Mann, Associate Professor at the University of Haifa.
This was an attack on Europe, on Malta, on unarmed civilians and the very idea of laws for peace- and this was not an accident- it was a warning shot and open threat against all people and States- a calculated sinister act of state terrorism. It is a violation of the UN Charter, the Geneva Conventions, the Rome Statute, the Law of the Sea, and the laws of peace. Today’s attack proves that Israel sees every attempt to save Palestinian life from total annihilation as an existential threat to its genocidal project – and wage war against the whole world to preserve it.
Lamis Deek, Attorney, PAL Law Commission.
We call on every State, every union of States, every people and every principled institution globally to rise and condemn this act and to support the rebuilding and sailing of the Flotilla at the earliest time possible. We demand that Europe, the African Union, ASEAN, Latin American States, and the Arab world assert their sovereignty – and humanity – by refusing to be intimidated into silence and complicity with lawlessness. We demand a full international investigation under the auspices of the United Nations. We demand that Malta and all coastal States take immediate protective measures. And, we call on all States to invoke universal jurisdiction, to enact arms embargoes, suspend treaties, and stop their diplomatic cover and complicity with this barbaric and rogue regime. Otherwise the bloodshed will not stop in Gaza; and it will not stop with the Flotilla. Either Israel is stopped- or the whole world will bleed at the altar of Israeli genocidal fascism.
This is not the first time that Israel has attacked peaceful Freedom Flotilla vessels. A 2010 attempt by the flotilla to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza saw a brutal attack by Israeli commandos – again while the boats were still in international waters – that killed nine passengers and wounded dozens.
In 2023, three months before Israel’s genocide began, the Handala visited Liverpool as part of its tour of Europe to raise funds and awareness of Israel’s brutal repression of Gaza – repression that dates back decades before October 2023. Israel is now imposing a total starvation blockade on Gaza in a blatant breach of international law. Neither Keir Starmer nor Foreign Secretary David Lammy have so much as mentioned the atrocity, let alone condemned it or taken any action – unsurprisingly, when the UK is providing spy flights and military assistance to the genocidal regime and did nothing when Israel deliberately murdered British aid workers in Gaza last autumn.
Watch the flotilla’s 2023 presentation here.
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You can find out more about The Freedom Flotilla’s humanitarian mission plus further details of this disgraceful incident here: https://freedomflotilla.org/
Have you a link to any comment condemning this [checks notes] “disgraceful incident” from the alleged UK Prime Minister?
Dave – I’ve got better things to do than run around after you.
But you answered anyway.
Nonce.
Toffee – How observant of you. 😏
It would be impolite not to
What the fuck would you know about politeness and courtesy?
You endorse policies that harm children.
You support policies that are making people genuinely fearful for their survival.
And when you’re pulled on these things you sneer at the people pointing out your shithousery.
You make those MAGA dickheads look positively chivalrous.
Fuck off and DIE. No seriously, please DIE.
Toffee – Could you please quote some examples that support your assertions?
We will take that as an emphatic no then, Billy, on the grounds of;
a) no such condemnation from the current self-confessed avowed Zionist and Davos puppet pretending to be a Prime Minister exists, nor ever will exist;
and
b) you are too busy being fully occupied running around attempting to make pathetic excuses for and deflect from the criminal, sociopathic policies you voted for.
Desperately hoping no one will notice by pretending to be appalled at the outcomes of the actions arising from the support of those you not only voted for but also claim is the only alternative.
We see you, Billy.
Dave – Given what I think of you, what makes you think that I care much one way or t’other what you think.
Billy, what makes you think this is only a private space occupied by thee and me?
Unsurprisingly, not a single poster here gives you the time of day. On the basis of the available evidence, it is more than reasonable to surmise you have as few mates offline as you do online. Hence, the amount of time you spend here vainly trying to find some kind of validation for your self-inflicted isolation.
Dave – Unsurprisingly, not a single poster here gives you the time of day.
That is manifestly untrue, both you and Toffee self evidently spend your days following me around.😏
Stop mardy arsing, Billy, and start reciprocating with evidence based responses to other people’s questions and argumentlike a grown up.
Dave – I’ve got better things to do than run around after you, if you think that you have a point to make that is worth hearing then make it.
Dave – “When you make a claim [what claim would that be ?], it needs to be substantiated with credible evidence. It is not “running around” after someone else, it’s simply demonstrating you have a reasoned argument.” I suggest you reread my post and stop behaving like a muppet.
Here’s my OP “You can find out more about The Freedom Flotilla’s humanitarian mission plus further details of this disgraceful incident here: https://freedomflotilla.org/ “
What was it about this post that needs to be “substantiated with credible evidence” ?
Yes, Billy.
When you make a claim, it needs to be substantiated with credible evidence. It is not “running around” after someone else, it’s simply demonstrating you have a reasoned argument.
If you actually ever achieve such a feat, you will have joined the reality based community.
Constantly evading this basic requirements with silly infantile excuses and emoji’s merely marks you out as a non-credible actor in the eyes of everyone reading your childish efforts to keep up with the grown-ups.
It’s your problem, deal with it. Exceptionalism does not cut it in the real world.
Dave – What claim would that be?
Here’s my OP “You can find out more about The Freedom Flotilla’s humanitarian mission plus further details of this disgraceful incident here: https://freedomflotilla.org/ “
What was it about this post that needs to be “substantiated with credible evidence” and where is the claim that you keep insisting that I have made?
You can start by substantiating the claim made here, Billy…..
https://skwawkbox.org/2025/04/29/video-you-smell-burning-flesh-volunteer-doc-speaks-more-about-horrors-he-witnessed-in-gaza/#comment-266742
…..with substantive evidence to back it up. A public libel which you have made on numerous occasions and which you have been requested to substantiate on each occasion, with no response because the evidence for your wild smears and allegations does not exist.
The offer on that matter remains open if you are so sure of your ground. I look forward to either seeing your evidence – I’ve already previously supplied mine for you – receiving your apology or your contact details as previously requested.
Dave – Given your sudden switch of emphasis should we now presume that having reflected on it you have concluded that your silly demand that my original post needs to be “substantiated with credible evidence” was in fact just plain silly?
There you go again, misrepresenting others, Billy.
The conversation on that original post of yours was moved on by yourself in your post of 12:02 p.pm 04/05/2025 where you switched the subject of the conversation to that of a totally different context which was that of you being required to run around for other people by asking the question:
“if you think that you have a point to make that is worth hearing, then make it.
It is not my fault that you chose to sloppily frame the question as a general one rather than specific to the original post.
If you don’t like the answer to the question you asked, that’s your problem for not paying attention and shooting from the hip again.
Consequently, the general answe/pointr to that general question (As does the supplemental answer provided in my post of 09:46 a.m. today, 06/05/2025)……
“When you make a claim, it needs to be substantiated with credible evidence. It is not “running around” after someone else, it’s simply demonstrating you have a reasoned argument.”
….stands until you amend your original question to your own satisfaction – which you should have done in the first place.
And your claim in this context – to repeat so as to be crystal clear – was not your original post of 02:59 p.m. of 02/05/2025 but your claim in the form of a complaint that you had better things to do than answer other people’s reasonable and legitimate questions as though you are somehow exceptional.
Particularly when you constantly demand that other people run around after you asking your questions.
Now stop deflecting and let’s see if you are capable of engaging in grown up debate.
Dave – …and I should care one way or t’other what you have to say when all you’ve got to offer is inept nonsense 😏
Billy – On what grounds and with what evidence do you portray the facts based argument’s put to you in this conversation?
Have you a coherent evidence based counterargument other than this consistent taking your bat and ball home and having a good sulk?
Moreover, when you are constantly publicly smearing people with evidence free allegations which amount to a public libel and hiding behind anonymity, it would be prudent on your part to have a care. As you will find out if ever I discover your contact details, which you are clearly loath to risk providing.
Dave – I guess that there’s bound to be somebody, somewhere that is as impressed as you are with yourself.
When are you going to grow up?
Nowhere near as impressive as someone such as yourself who has clearly not yet reached the level of maturity to be able to answer a simple question or justify with evidence their wild asserstions.
But, thank you once again for proving my point for me, Billy.
Dave – .¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Does anyone, apart from you, cares about your saddo vendetta?
Interesting.
Asking someone who consistently fails miserably to provide a single shred of evidence to substantiate his claims, allegations, smears, and what passes for argument is [checks notes] a “vendetta”.
The answer is in your hands, Billy. All you have to do is exactly what you expect other people to do for you. Instead, when your demands are turned back on you, all we get is some sad little whine about not wanting to run after other people.
You reap what you sow. Get used to it until you learn to shape up.
Get bent.
I’ve got better things to do than run around after you.
So….go on. We all know what’s coming next.
As for your repeated allegations on this public forum, I suggest you either provide the oft requested evidence to substantiate them or, failing that, either issue an apology or provide, as previously requested, your contact details, and we can settle that libel in the appropriate forum if you are so confident in your case.
Meanwhile, on the subject of drones/unmanned aerial vehicles……..
https://www.elbitsystems.com/
….such lethal devices are part of the production inventory of the well known Zionist arms manufacturer with factories in Britain, Elbit systems.
Which raises the valid question of whether the drones which attacked this vessel in international waters were manufactured in the UK?
Perhaps if Billy no mates here was not so busy running around desperately trying to virtue signal to deflect from policies he voted for, he could post a link on the subject?
He’s obviously sodded off to find something else – not necessarily something better – to do.
Good. Don’t bother coming back.
Toffee – Sorry but I’ve got things to do. You’ll have to play with yourself for a while.
Yeah, alright then.
And my head buttons up at the back, ffs.
Always wifh the same trumpian-style tactics.
If you can’t find an answer, then:
*dismiss the questioner
*Play dumb
*reply wifh a question and then demand the questioner answers before going any further
*waffle on about something irrelevant
*dismiss the questioner (you both like that tactic so much that I’ve included it twice to reflect the fact)
*hide until the coast looks clear (yours rather than one of the orange one’s).
You’re shite, lad.
In fact, you’re worse than shite.
Toffee – ….and yet here you are, still following me around like a needy stray dog begging for some attention.
Dave – https://skwawkbox.org/2025/05/02/gaza-freedom-flotilla-boat-holed-burning-after-israeli-drone-attack-in-international-waters/#comment-266828
You first, Billy.
Gobshite –
https://skwawkbox.org/2025/05/02/gaza-freedom-flotilla-boat-holed-burning-after-israeli-drone-attack-in-international-waters/#comment-266829