A boat carrying several activists including Greta Thunberg which is trying to take aid to Gaza caught fire Friday outside the port of Sidi Bou Said in Tunisia. Newsweek has broken down what we know so far.
Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), organizers of the convoy which includes the vessel Family Boat, have accused Israel of carrying out a drone attack on the boat in several Instagram posts, but Tunisian authorities have told news agencies there is no evidence to support this allegation. Israel is yet to respond to the claims.
Newsweek has contacted the GSF, Tunisia’s interior ministry and the Israel Defense Forces, via email, for comment.
Why It Matters
The Global Sumud Flotilla aims to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and to deliver humanitarian supplies. Its activities have previously led to interceptions and confrontations at sea, including in June when Israeli naval forces boarded a vessel carrying activists including Thunberg.
The competing accounts—GSF’s claim of a drone impact and Tunisia’s denial that any drone was involved—have immediate diplomatic and security implications.
If an external strike occurred in Tunisian waters it could raise questions about a violation of Tunisian sovereignty and the safety of international civilians on aid missions; if, however, the fire was internal, it could point to safety lapses or accidental ignition.
The incident is under investigation, and available evidence so far is limited to videos released by GSF and statements from Tunisian authorities.
What To Know
The Global Sumud Flotilla said the Portuguese-flagged Family Boat, carrying members of its steering committee, was struck by what is suspected to be a drone and suffered fire damage.
In one of GSF’s first videos about the fire, member Yasmin said: “The Family Boat has been officially attacked. A drone came right above it, released a bomb and it exploded and the boat was on fire. Everyone on that boat is OK – the fire is out.”
“They have bombed a boat once again with civilians on it, in Tunisian territory,” she added. “This is an attack against Gaza because they don’t want us there. So we need you to mobilize, let’s not stay quiet.”
She said she was on the vessel with Thunberg and other activists—the same team that was aboard the Madleen, a Freedom Flotilla Coalition boat that tried to reach Gaza in June, before it was “forcibly intercepted” by the Israeli military in international waters. Thunberg and her colleagues were taken to Israel and then deported.
In a second GSF video posted to Instagram, the activists said: “There is no other authority that would do something, such an attack, such a crime except the Israeli authority.”
GSF also posted a video on X purporting to be “footage from another boat of our Flotilla shows the exact moment the Family Boat was struck from above.”
Footage from another boat of our Flotilla shows the exact moment the Family Boat was struck from above. pic.twitter.com/qVpUyg56uP
— Global Sumud Flotilla (@GlobalSumudFlot) September 9, 2025
But Tunisia’s interior ministry later said that these claims “have no basis in truth,” according to Reuters. Tunisian authorities also told the Agence France-Presse agency that “no drones” had been detected.
Israel has kept a naval blockade on Gaza since Hamas took control of the enclave in 2007, arguing that it prevents weapons from reaching the group.
Last month, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a United Nations-backed food security body, officially declared that Gaza was facing famine. The report said the famine was entirely man-made, driven by the ongoing Israeli military blockade and attacks in the nearly two-year war following Hamas‘ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office has rejected the report as an “outright lie,” and repeatedly accused Hamas of withholding existing aid in Gaza as part of a “starvation campaign.”
What people Are Saying
GSF said in a statement posted to social media: “The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) confirms that one of the main boats, known as the Family Boat—that was carrying GSF Steering Committee members, was struck by what is suspected to be a drone. The boat was under the Portuguese flag and all passengers and crew are safe. An investigation is currently underway and when more information is available it will be released immediately.”
The United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, told Reuters: “We do not know who carried out the attack, but we would not be surprised if it was Israel. If confirmed, it is an attack against Tunisian sovereignty.”
In June, when Thunberg was aboard the Madleen, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X: “To the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas-propaganda spokespeople, I say clearly: You should turn back—because you will not reach Gaza. Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organizations—at sea, in the air, and on land.”
What Happens Next
GSF said it is investigating and will release results when available; Tunisian authorities likewise said they are investigating the cause of the fire. Independent forensic analysis of the videos and an on-site technical inspection would be required to determine whether an external munition struck the vessel or whether the blaze began aboard the ship.
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