For the third time in five months, drones carrying explosives have attacked boats in the Gaza flotillas. I was in Tunis when the Familia and Alma ships were attacked by drones carrying explosives.
On the evening of September 8, an explosive dropped from a drone hit Familia,” the lead ship of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) anchored in national Tunisian waters off port causing a fire on the bow of the ship. There were five people onboard as the crew and security team. No one was injured.
A crew member onboard “Familia” told me that he saw the quadcopter hovering about 20 feet above the ship and then going higher and moving to the bow of the ship. The quadcopter then dropped the incendiary device.
The next night, September 9, an Israeli quadcopter drone hit the “Alma” ship with another incendiary bomb and again caused a fire to break out.[1]
The Global Sumud Flotilla issued a statement that the flotilla will not be deterred by the incendiary bombs:
“The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) confirms that on September 9, another boat in our fleet – the “Alma” – was attacked by a drone as it was docked in Tunisian waters. The boat, sailing under the British flag, sustained fire damage on its top deck. The fire has since been extinguished, and all passengers and crew are safe. An investigation is currently underway and when more information is available it will be released immediately. This marks the second such attack in two days.
These repeat attacks come during intensified Israeli aggression on Palestinians in Gaza, and are an orchestrated attempt to distract and derail our mission. The Global Sumud Flotilla continues undeterred. Our peaceful voyage to break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza and stand in unwavering solidarity with its people presses forward with determination and resolve.”
Five months earlier, on May 1, 2025, multiple drones dropped explosives on the Conscience flotilla ship in international waters off Malta, causing such extensive damage to the bow of the ship that it became inoperable. Several crew members were injured by flying debris.
The Global Sumud Flotilla had arrived in Tunis on September 7 from Barcelona with 17 boats and another five on the way.
In Tunis, the GSF would be joined by almost 20 boats and an estimated 175 participants and crew. Other boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla will join from Italy and Greece.
The investigation of the criminal attack on a flotilla ship in the waters of Tunisia will include efforts to determine if an Israeli aircraft was in the area of Tunis, either flying directly from Israel or from Sigonella Naval Air Base in Sicily, a joint Italian-U.S. base where several Israeli electronic warfare planes have been stationed in the past week.
Sordid History
Israel has a sordid history of dropping incendiary devices from small quadcopter drones to wound or kill Palestinians in Gaza, deliberately targeting civilians in tents, vehicles and health centers.
Most recently, on September 3, 2025, Israeli forces reportedly used quadcopter drones to drop incendiary bombs on ambulances parked outside a clinic in Gaza City, causing a fire.
The use of incendiary weapons is prohibited in civilian-populated areas under international humanitarian law.
Quadcopter drone technology it should be further noted has been developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), “The Pentagon on the Charles,” which has received special contracts from the Israeli Defense Miniistry, arousing significant student protest there.
Subhman Conditions in Israeli Prisons and the Cluelessness of Israel’s Minister of Security
As hundreds of participants from around the world departed from Barcelona and Tunis in early Septeber, the headline in the Jerusalem Post read “Ben-Gvir plans to designate Global Sumud Flotilla activists as terrorists, seize boats.”
Itamar Ben-Gvir is Israel’s Minister of Security. He was further quoted in The Jerusalem Post article stating that “activists will be held in prisons for terrorists and will be denied special privileges such as television, radio, and specialized food.”
Having been twice (2010 and 2016) in Israeli prison for being on boats challenging the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza, it seems clear to me that Ben-Gvir has never actually been in his own prisons.
Those of us who have been in Israeli prison know that most cells do not have TV or radio. And the foods are definitely not “specialty.”
Pieces of bread, a tomato, pieces of cucumber and, perhaps, a glass of tea are all I have had while in Israeli prison, which was fine with me as we know that Palestinian prisoners in the same prison may not be given even those “luxuries.”
Our latest flotilla participants on the Madleen and Handala report very dirty cells with two persons getting the skin disease scabies while in prison. Both women and men have been put in solitary confinement.
What prison conditions are like will not be a deterrent to those on boats who are challenging the Israeli genocide of Gaza.
Threats of such mistreatment from one of the architects of Israeli genocide will not deter those who are fed up with the Israeli murder of Palestinians and the physical destruction of Gaza and are willing to risk their lives to bring further attention to the horrific genocide of Palestinians and the starvation of children, the elderly and all the Palestinians in Gaza.
The only thing that will deter the flotillas will be Israel permanently stopping the bombing and destruction of Gaza and allowing food and medicines into Gaza and distribution by well-established organizations that have professional distribution systems so all in Gaza will have access to food and medicines.
The flotillas will continue to sail until the Israeli destruction of Gaza and Palestinians ends.
Following the drone strike on the Alma ship, crew members recovered a charred electronic device from the deck. The Global Sumud Flotilla said: “While a full investigation is ongoing, the presence of such a device provides further indication that the boat was deliberately targeted. All passengers and crew remain safe, and the mission to break the siege on Gaza continues undeterred.” ↑
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About the Author
Ann Wright is a retired United States Army colonel and retired U.S. State Department official.
She was one of three State Department officials to publicly resign in direct protest of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq.
Since that time Colonel Wright has been a dedicated peace activist.
Ann can be reached at annw1946@gmail.com.
I wonder if Gvir did misspeak. The elite like people to think inmates enjoy benefits at taxpayer expense.