Greta Thunberg’s Gaza flotilla not hit by drone, Tunisia says

The fire on Greta Thunberg’s Gaza-bound flotilla was likely started by one of the activists onboard, according to authorities in Tunisia — who said there was “no basis in truth” that it was struck by a drone.

Tunisia’s Interior Ministry said there were no drones detected when Thunberg’s Global Sumud Flotilla [GSF] claimed it was hit by one Monday, starting a fire as it was off the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said.

The ministry maintained that the group’s claim that a drone attack started the fire had “no basis in truth” — and that it was likely started onboard, possibly from an activist’s cigarette.

National Guard spokesman Houcem Eddine Jebabli slao told Agence France-Presse that “no drones have been detected” and that preliminary findings indicate “a fire broke out in the life jackets on board.”

Thunberg was on one of the 20 boats that departed for the Gaza Strip from Barcelona on Aug. 31 in a flotilla Israeli officials have previously described as a publicity-seeking “selfie yacht” cruise.

The GSF posted dramatic footage it laimed to show something falling on the ship from above. None of the six passengers and crew aboard the ship were injured, GSF confirmed.

Israel did not immediately comment.

The flotilla is an international effort to break Israel’s naval blockade of the embattled enclave and deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians using civilian boats supported by delegations from 44 countries. The blockade has been in effect since 2007.

Thunberg and others were promptly taken into custody and deported to their home countries after Israeli authorities seized their aid ship during their previous attempt to break the blockade in June.

“There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said at the time.

Before her departure last month, Thunberg claimed the GFSF flotilla was “part of a global uprising of people standing up” to “atrocities” in Gaza.

With Post Wires