ACTIVISTS vowed today to continue sailing to Gaza in an attempt to deliver humanitarian aid, despite a second apparent drone attack on one of their ships docked in Tunisia in as many days.

Footage shared by Global Sumud Flotilla on Tuesday night shows two men on the deck of the Alma at the port in Tunis. A siren blares in the background and one of the men points up in the sky as another off camera shouts “fire!”

The men dart out of the way just before a ball of fire falls on the deck and the flames spread. The men return moments later and put out the blaze with a hose.

Global Sumud Flotilla, an activist group of over 50 ships carrying people from 44 countries, set sail from Barcelona on August 31. Most of the ships taking part in its mission have reached Tunisia. From there, they will be joined by other vessels from Italy, Greece and elsewhere before sailing towards Gaza.

In a statement today, the group said that all passengers and crew aboard the British-flagged ship were safe.

“This marks the second such attack in two days,” the statement said.

“These repeat attacks come during intensified Israeli aggression on Palestinians in Gaza and are an orchestrated attempt to distract and derail our mission. The Global Sumud Flotilla continues undeterred.

“Our peaceful voyage to break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza and stand in unwavering solidarity with its people presses forward with determination and resolve.”

On Monday night, an unidentified drone hit one of the group’s other lead ships, the Familia. No-one was hurt, Global Sumud Flotilla said. 

In Gaza, the Israel military killed at least 53 Palestinians today. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned that Israel’s latest assault on Gaza City was “pushing people to the brink and threatening the survival of what remains of the health system.”

Condemnation of Israel’s Tuesday strike on Qatar continued today. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, no stranger to crimes against humanity himself, called on the international community to confront Israeli aggression.

“Gaza is Palestinian territory and the rights of its people are inalienable and cannot be taken away by any aggression,” he said.