Israeli drones drop grenades, chemical substance on Sumud Flotilla ships

The Global Sumud Flotilla, currently sailing toward Gaza, reported experiencing loud explosions, “flashbangs,” and the presence of multiple drones flying over several vessels as they passed near the Greek island of Crete. Although no crew members were physically harmed, the flotilla recorded at least eleven explosions, and an unidentified chemical substance was dropped on some ships.

Communication has become increasingly difficult after the flotilla’s Very High Frequency (VHF) radios sustained damage, leaving them with limited contact with the outside world.

Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila, sharing a video from one of the vessels, said this marked the tenth attack on the flotilla. “They are targeting the small sailing vessels of our mission, trying to destroy their sails, but they are using devices that can injure people and damage boats,” Ávila explained.

“It’s very important that we share this with the world. Our humanitarian mission, protected under international law, is being attacked,” he added, stressing that stun grenades had been dropped on the ships by Israeli drones.

The flotilla’s official Instagram account, along with CodePink, confirmed that the ships had been subjected to eleven separate attacks beginning around 2 a.m. local time.

Prior to these assaults, Israel had explicitly threatened the flotilla after activists rejected its proposal to redirect aid to Ashkelon Port instead of Gaza.

“The Hamas flotilla refuses Israel’s proposal to unload aid peacefully at the nearby Ashkelon Marina. Instead, it chooses the illegal path — sailing into a combat zone and breaching the lawful naval blockade. This proves their true aim: serving Hamas rather than delivering aid to Gaza’s civilians,” Israel’s official X account, run by the Foreign Ministry, posted.

Meanwhile, flotilla activists condemned Israel’s intimidation tactics, vowing to continue their humanitarian mission to Gaza despite the repeated attacks.