"The flotilla represents the largest organized effort to breach the naval blockade of Gaza since Israel began its campaign of genocide nearly two years ago. It was a global effort, with prominent human rights lawyers, several members of European parliaments, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, and Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla taking part. Assembled near Crete on Sept. 23 and planning to sail to Gaza immediately, the flotilla was harassed and delayed by drone attacks."
""Our boat was assailed by a quadcopter that dropped a little popper on deck," American activist Greg Stoker said on Instagram. "Another couple boats experienced that as well. Our VHF [very high frequency] radio was hijacked by adversarial comms, and they started playing Abba." That was not the first drone attack on the flotilla, and it got the Italian and Spanish navies involved, with the two states sending boats to help escort the convoy toward Gaza."
Israeli naval forces intercepted 41 vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza in international waters roughly 75 miles off the coast, detaining more than 450 people. Detainees are to be transferred to the port city of Ashdod and deported to Europe. The Global Sumud Flotilla assembled near Crete on Sept. 23 with international participants including human rights lawyers, several European parliament members, Greta Thunberg, and Mandla Mandela. The convoy experienced repeated drone harassment and communications interference; Italian and Spanish ships briefly escorted the flotilla. Israeli boats used water cannons during interceptions, while one vessel, the Mikeno, evaded capture by manipulating its radar.
Read at Defector
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