It's pretty wild if Israel is bombing civilian ships, 1200 miles from their own boarders. This on top of the purposeful starving of an entire population the flotilla was hoping to bring a...
It's pretty wild if Israel is bombing civilian ships, 1200 miles from their own boarders.
This on top of the purposeful starving of an entire population the flotilla was hoping to bring a spotlight to. Get me off this timeline.
CNN is reporting that an Israeli Hercules was operating in the area. They've previously boarded civilian ships heading to Gaza, but bombing them is something else entirely.
CNN is reporting that an Israeli Hercules was operating in the area. They've previously boarded civilian ships heading to Gaza, but bombing them is something else entirely.
All very suspicious. I'm curious how they would know it was a drone attack and if this particular ship was really a sensible target (I don't know enough about this mission or what else is going...
All very suspicious. I'm curious how they would know it was a drone attack and if this particular ship was really a sensible target (I don't know enough about this mission or what else is going on). To just immediately say "Israel attacked us with drones" without any explanation seems suspicious.
The C-130 could also be suspicious, but Israel doesn't use them for any kind of Air Battle Management, to my knowledge, and I don't see why they would need one near a drone attack. That doesn't mean it's impossible for it to be involved, just that I don't see how it would be. It definitely flew at an unusual altitude, though.
Suspicious on all sides. Although, I guess that's consistent with how I view this conflict—both sides have obviously committed atrocities and I don't trust what Israel or Gaza says or does.
Followup on the ship's state from the Times of Malta: Couldn't be more suspicious if they tried. No flag (was removed one day before being hit going off another article, edit: as noted by...
Malta has offered to pay for the repairs of the Gaza-bound boat and help it reach its destination, but it continues to refuse to let the vessel in Maltese territorial waters and ports.
The government will not let them in unless it is allowed to inspect the ship and ensure it is truly carrying humanitarian aid and that its damage is compatible with the damage sustained by an attack, Prime Minister Robert Abela told reporters Sunday.
Couldn't be more suspicious if they tried. No flag (was removed one day before being hit going off another article, edit: as noted by TheMediumJon, the issuing country removed the flag) or insurance, took damage while carrying HumAid but unwilling to let Malta's maritime surveyor in.
Yeah and in this case it makes the difference between them going desiring to go pirate, I guess, purposefully flying under no flag, vs being sanctioned by their flagging state and then setting out...
Yeah and in this case it makes the difference between them going desiring to go pirate, I guess, purposefully flying under no flag, vs being sanctioned by their flagging state and then setting out anyway.
Couple more articles on it from SB's whitehall: CNN and ToI. For starters, both articles states that the FFC hasn't given evidence that this was a IDF strike, and that the IDF also is silent about...
Couple more articles on it from SB's whitehall: CNN and ToI.
For starters, both articles states that the FFC hasn't given evidence that this was a IDF strike, and that the IDF also is silent about it (an IAF C-180 was tracked to enter the area, but left hours before the attack).
The more fun thing is the crew list, it's number to be exact.
Again, both articles report the same number- from Malta's government, 16. Where it gets weird is the FFC's number. ToI states the org's website said there were 21 volunteers aboard, and CNN asked FFC directly and got 30, so where did the 5-14 new crew members come from.
Note that CNN also reported the 21 volunteers from their statement.
Then you have the ToI-exclusive info that the convoy was organized by Hamas to attack the IDF troops, they credit Al Arabiya (a Saudi news group), which themselves state they had a Western security source (according to ToI, as their English article does not say so, it could be in the Arabic one though)
Now that is interesting. I guess it's far from impossible that Hamas has a hand in arranging these expeditions, though I find it unlikely that Greta Thunberg was planning to fight Israeli...
The Saudi Al Arabiya news channel, citing a Western security source, reported that the convoy was organized by Hamas and that those onboard planned to engage with IDF troops as they approached the Gaza shore.
Now that is interesting. I guess it's far from impossible that Hamas has a hand in arranging these expeditions, though I find it unlikely that Greta Thunberg was planning to fight Israeli soldiers. (CNN mentions that she was planning to board the flotilla in Malta.)
Another piece of weirdness is that faraway Cyprus sent dispatched a vessel to help, instead of Malta, Italy, or even Greece. Maybe they happened to have one in the area?
It's pretty wild if Israel is bombing civilian ships, 1200 miles from their own boarders.
This on top of the purposeful starving of an entire population the flotilla was hoping to bring a spotlight to. Get me off this timeline.
It may or may not be literal piracy.
Might be good to add that it was near Malta. I was assuming it was the Houthis from just the headline. Totally changes things.
CNN is reporting that an Israeli Hercules was operating in the area. They've previously boarded civilian ships heading to Gaza, but bombing them is something else entirely.
All very suspicious. I'm curious how they would know it was a drone attack and if this particular ship was really a sensible target (I don't know enough about this mission or what else is going on). To just immediately say "Israel attacked us with drones" without any explanation seems suspicious.
The C-130 could also be suspicious, but Israel doesn't use them for any kind of Air Battle Management, to my knowledge, and I don't see why they would need one near a drone attack. That doesn't mean it's impossible for it to be involved, just that I don't see how it would be. It definitely flew at an unusual altitude, though.
Suspicious on all sides. Although, I guess that's consistent with how I view this conflict—both sides have obviously committed atrocities and I don't trust what Israel or Gaza says or does.
Is there any reason why the Houthis would want to attack them?
They're the usual suspects when civilian ships get bombed these days.
Done.
Followup on the ship's state from the Times of Malta:
Couldn't be more suspicious if they tried. No flag (was removed one day before being hit going off another article, edit: as noted by TheMediumJon, the issuing country removed the flag) or insurance, took damage while carrying HumAid but unwilling to let Malta's maritime surveyor in.
A note which I didn't get from your comment (in its second part), the flag was removed by the issuing country, not by the ship/flotilla.
Good catch, I somehow misread the "by" as "of". Makes me wonder how often flags get revoked.
Yeah and in this case it makes the difference between them going desiring to go pirate, I guess, purposefully flying under no flag, vs being sanctioned by their flagging state and then setting out anyway.
Couple more articles on it from SB's whitehall: CNN and ToI.
For starters, both articles states that the FFC hasn't given evidence that this was a IDF strike, and that the IDF also is silent about it (an IAF C-180 was tracked to enter the area, but left hours before the attack).
The more fun thing is the crew list, it's number to be exact.
Again, both articles report the same number- from Malta's government, 16. Where it gets weird is the FFC's number. ToI states the org's website said there were 21 volunteers aboard, and CNN asked FFC directly and got 30, so where did the 5-14 new crew members come from.
Note that CNN also reported the 21 volunteers from their statement.
Then you have the ToI-exclusive info that the convoy was organized by Hamas to attack the IDF troops, they credit Al Arabiya (a Saudi news group), which themselves state they had a Western security source (according to ToI, as their English article does not say so, it could be in the Arabic one though)
Now that is interesting. I guess it's far from impossible that Hamas has a hand in arranging these expeditions, though I find it unlikely that Greta Thunberg was planning to fight Israeli soldiers. (CNN mentions that she was planning to board the flotilla in Malta.)
Another piece of weirdness is that faraway Cyprus sent dispatched a vessel to help, instead of Malta, Italy, or even Greece. Maybe they happened to have one in the area?