By Rania Abu Shamala
ISTANBUL (AA) - Three drones were reported flying Wednesday over the Libyan hospital ship Omar Al-Mukhtar, which is sailing alone to catch up with the Global Sumud Flotilla seeking to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza.
The ship is carrying a mobile medical clinic on board and is en route to join dozens of other vessels making their way toward the besieged enclave, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza said on the US social media company X’s platform.
There were no immediate details on the origin of the drones.
Israel has a record of intercepting aid vessels bound for Gaza, seizing ships and deporting activists in actions widely condemned as piracy.
The Omar al-Mukhtar set sail Sunday after being equipped with an intensive care unit to provide health services for the fleet.
Dozens of ships have been sailing from North African and European ports toward Gaza as part of the flotilla.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is the largest effort of its kind aiming to reach Gaza, where 2.4 million Palestinians live under an Israeli blockade that has lasted 18 years.
UN investigators recently concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, where over 65,400 people have been killed since October 2023.