VALLETTA, Malta — A humanitarian aid ship destined for Gaza was struck by drones in international waters near Malta in the early hours of Friday, May 2, 2025, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the organizing group behind the mission. The attack caused a fire and significant damage to the vessel, named Conscience, halting its journey to deliver aid to the blockaded Palestinian territory. The coalition pointed fingers at Israel, though no official confirmation of responsibility has been made.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight local time, approximately 13 nautical miles east of Malta. The ship, carrying activists and essential supplies, issued a distress signal after two drone strikes hit its front, sparking a blaze and breaching the hull. A nearby tugboat responded swiftly, extinguishing the fire by 1:28 a.m., and a Maltese patrol vessel was deployed to assist. Maltese authorities confirmed that all aboard—reportedly 12 crew members and several activists—were safe but chose to remain on the damaged vessel to prevent it from sinking.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a global network of activists working to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza, described the attack as a deliberate attempt to sabotage their nonviolent mission. They noted that the drones appeared to target the ship’s generator, leaving it without power and at risk of flooding. The group had been operating under a media blackout to avoid interference, a precaution rooted in past experiences, including a 2010 incident where Israeli forces boarded a coalition ship, resulting in nine deaths.
Among those planning to join the mission was Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was in Malta awaiting a transfer to the Conscience from another vessel. “This was one of many efforts to open a humanitarian corridor and break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza,” Thunberg said, highlighting the dire situation in the enclave, where no aid has entered since March 2, 2025. She condemned the attack, which she said caused an explosion that rendered the mission impossible.
Turkey’s foreign ministry reported that Turkish nationals were on board and expressed strong condemnation, vowing to work with Maltese authorities to ensure their safety and investigate the incident. Hamas, the Palestinian group governing Gaza, labeled the attack an act of “piracy” and called for international action against Israel’s blockade, which has left Gaza’s 2.3 million residents facing severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.
Israel has not responded to the allegations, and its foreign ministry remained silent when approached for comment. The blockade, intensified since March, is part of Israel’s strategy to pressure Hamas, which it accuses of diverting aid for military purposes—a claim Hamas denies. The conflict, reignited after a ceasefire collapsed in March, has claimed over 52,000 lives in Gaza since October 2023, according to Palestinian health officials.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition demanded that Israel be held accountable for what they called a violation of international law, urging nations to summon Israeli diplomats. Meanwhile, Maltese authorities continue to monitor the Conscience, which remains anchored in international waters. The incident has reignited global calls for an end to Gaza’s blockade, with humanitarian groups warning of an impending collapse in the region’s aid infrastructure.
As investigations begin, the attack underscores the risks faced by activists attempting to deliver aid to Gaza and raises questions about the enforcement of international maritime law in contested waters.
