A humanitarian vessel carrying activists and essential aid to Gaza was struck by armed Israeli drones in international waters off Malta, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition has reported, triggering renewed global condemnation of Israel’s blockade and military tactics.

The ship, Conscience, was part of a peaceful international effort to break the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip. It was carrying volunteers from over 21 countries, including human rights defenders and public figures, when it was attacked at 00:23 Malta time. The strike ignited a fire and tore open part of the hull, disabling the power supply and leaving the crew stranded at sea.

According to the coalition, the crew’s distress call prompted the arrival of a Southern Cyprus vessel, but it lacked the technical capabilities to assist. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Rome later reported dispatching a tugboat, but contact with the Conscience was lost, and the fate of those on board remains unknown.

The attack, which occurred in international waters, is being widely viewed as a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of international law. Civil society groups, maritime organisations, and activists have called on Malta to urgently act to protect the crew and to investigate the assault. They are also urging the international community to summon Israeli ambassadors and hold Israel accountable for targeting a civilian aid mission.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition reminded the world that no aid trucks have entered Gaza since 2 March, while over two million civilians face imminent famine. It called on all states to withdraw support for the blockade and occupation, and to back efforts to protect humanitarian missions attempting to deliver desperately needed supplies to the besieged enclave.

From the waters off Malta to the streets of Gaza, the message is clear: silence is complicity.