An aid ship headed to Gaza was attacked by drones off Malta’s coast, raising questions about Israel's role in the incident.
An international aid mission aimed at challenging Israel’s blockade of Gaza was dramatically disrupted when one of its vessels, The Conscience, was allegedly struck by drones early Friday morning in international waters off the Maltese coast.
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According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the NGO organizing the mission, the attack occurred at 00:23 local time and triggered an immediate SOS distress signal. The coalition believes the ship was intentionally targeted to halt its voyage toward Gaza, where it planned to deliver humanitarian aid and protest the ongoing Israeli blockade.
Maltese authorities have confirmed a fire broke out aboard the ship and that emergency crews brought it under control overnight. No casualties were reported. The Maltese government reported 16 people aboard—12 crew members and 4 activists—though the NGO insists the number was closer to 30 activists.
Video footage shared by the coalition shows flames engulfing part of the vessel, reportedly caused by an explosion near its generator. This left the ship powerless and in danger of sinking. The vessel was located approximately 17 nautical miles (around 31.5 kilometers) east of Malta when the incident occurred.
While the Israeli military has said it's "looking into" the incident, the NGO has openly blamed Israel, accusing it of violating international law by targeting a civilian humanitarian mission. They also demanded diplomatic accountability, urging countries to summon Israeli ambassadors for questioning.
Cyprus reportedly responded to the distress call by sending assistance, but according to the coalition, the aid lacked the technical support needed to restore electrical functions aboard the ship.
The attack adds to mounting tensions surrounding Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which has severely limited access to food, fuel, and medical supplies. The blockade was tightened in recent months following Israel's resumed military offensive, which ended a previous two-month ceasefire with Hamas.
This renewed violence follows Hamas’s deadly assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and over 250 hostages. In the aftermath, Israel launched a full-scale war that has so far claimed over 52,000 lives in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The Freedom Flotilla’s mission highlights a growing international outcry over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the legal implications of blockading civilian aid.