The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) has restored communication with its aid ship, the Handala, which is continuing its mission to the Gaza Strip after a two-hour blackout. The organisation announced on Thursday that contact was re-established after being lost, initially raising fears that the vessel had been intercepted or attacked.
According to a report from Türkiye Today, the interruption was caused by a global Starlink outage. An activist aboard the ship, Tan Safi, explained in a social media video that while experts were investigating the “unusual” disruption, it was “most likely a global disruption.”
The FFC confirmed the presence of “multiple drones near the boat” during the outage, which had heightened concerns for the 21 crew members and journalists on board. The Handala aid ship has now resumed its course and is reported to be less than 349 nautical miles from Gaza.
The vessel, carrying 19 international human rights defenders and two journalists from 12 countries, set sail from Gallipoli, Italy, on Sunday, 20 July. Its stated goal is to deliver humanitarian aid and a political message against the ongoing blockade of Gaza, which has created a severe humanitarian crisis.
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A mission fraught with risk
This incident occurs against a backdrop of escalating humanitarian concerns in Gaza, where, according to Al Jazeera, an Israeli-induced starvation policy has led to the deaths of 122 people, mostly children. The FFC’s mission is a direct response to what it terms “apartheid, genocide, and occupation.” The voyage of the Handala aid ship was undertaken with full awareness of the potential dangers, following previous incidents involving the coalition’s vessels.
According to Anadolu Ajansı, another FFC ship, the MV Conscience, was damaged in a drone attack in May while in international waters. In June, the aid ship Madlene was intercepted by Israel, and its 12 international activists were detained and later deported. Participants on the Handala described their mission as a necessary action in the face of governmental inaction.
The mission, dedicated to the children of Gaza, has faced obstacles from the start. While docked in Italy, the crew reported several suspected acts of sabotage. The FFC has urged the public to continue to pressure their governments to “guarantee a safe passage to Gaza” for the Handala aid ship and its crew.
Image via Turkiye Today.
