Valletta: In the early hours of May 2, 2025, the humanitarian aid ship the Conscience, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was struck by drones in international waters near Malta. The attack caused significant damage, ignited a fire, and disabled the ship, which was traveling from Tunisia to Gaza to deliver essential supplies and protest Israel’s siege.
According to Global Voices, the group shared a statement on social media indicating that the vessel, registered under the Palau flag, was en route to deliver food and medical supplies and bring 30 global peace activists, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, to Gaza. Thunberg condemned the attack on social media as an act of terrorism against a humanitarian mission, emphasizing the disregard for international law and human rights.
The freedom flotilla accused Maltese authorities of blocking volunteers from reaching the ship and preventing it from docking for repairs and treating four injured individuals. The ship was part of a flotilla transport
ing humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip, involving more than 600 humanitarian activists, politicians, and doctors from 40 different nations.
The United Nations Fact-Finding Mission to investigate the attack found that six of the people who were killed were summarily executed. Autopsies revealed that five were shot in the head from distances between two and 15 cm. The incident was largely met with international and Arab silence, although Turkey condemned the attack and pledged to seek accountability due to its nationals being on board.
As the Conscience was attacked, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsened, with the UN secretary general describing the situation as appalling and apocalyptic. UNICEF warned of starvation, reporting that more than 9,000 children have been admitted for treatment of acute malnutrition since the beginning of the year. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reported dozens of deaths from malnutrition or lack of medical care, including a four-month-old infant, Jenan Sal
eh al-Skafi.
The organization called on states parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligation under Common Article 1 and act urgently to halt the genocide occurring in Gaza. By May 2, the Israeli blockade had led to the deaths of at least 57 Palestinians due to starvation, as thousands of trucks carrying vital supplies piled up at the border with Egypt.
The attack on the Conscience, the continuous starvation, and the subsequent international silence and inaction underscore the growing accusations of failure of the international community to uphold international law and stop what has been described as the worst campaign of systematic starvation in modern history.