LONDON

Scottish activist James (Jim) Hickey, who is part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, described the nighttime harassment attempts as a form of “psychological warfare.”

Speaking to Anadolu from the vessel Seulle, Hickey said that unidentified ships and drones were active around and above the flotilla during the night as they sailed toward Gaza.

He explained that after midnight, they detected drone flights over the ships and lost GPS signals due to jamming devices.

Hickey also noted that Tuesday evening, they had received information that an Israeli military ship had departed from the port of Ashdod.

He stressed that some of the vessels in front of the flotilla were harassed by unidentified ships, adding: “The flotilla came to a standstill and waited interception. However, this looks like another attempt of psychological warfare and testing the resolve of the captains.”

Hickey said that everyone on board was safe and that they were continuing their journey.

The flotilla, carrying humanitarian supplies and international activists, is part of efforts to break Israel’s years-long blockade, which has sharply worsened living conditions in Gaza.

The Israeli army has killed over 66,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to starvation and the spread of diseases.