The mystery thickened around Hamdala. This ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza no longer signs of life, according to the press service of “Flotilla for freedom”, a non -violent international initiative for supporting the Palestinians. “We lost all contact with the Hamdala crew,” said its organizers Thursday evening via WhatsApp.
The boat, a former Norwegian trawler converted into a humanitarian ship, had left Syracuse, in Sicily, ten days ago with around fifteen activists on board and loading medical equipment, food, medicines and children for children. Two French deputies from La France Insoumise (LFI), Gabrielle Cathala and Emma Fourreau, were part of the crew.
Drones seen in the surrounding area
Shortly before the loss of communication, “communications were scrambled and many drones seen in the surrounding area. This could mean that they were intercepted or attacked, “said the movement’s press service. According to geolocation data, the ship was still in international waters, off Egypt, long before reaching the coasts of Gaza.
Our file on Gaza
Hamdala is the second boat chartered by the “flotilla” this year. On June 1, Madleen, a sailboat also left from Italy, had tried to “break the Israeli blockade”. On board were twelve activists, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and MEP LFI Rima Hassan. The ship had been intercepted about 185 kilometers west of Gaza. Rima Hassan had been detained for three days by the Israeli authorities.
