Netanyahu has ordered drone attacks on humanitarian aid boats heading to Gaza off Tunisia, the sources say

Washington – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the military operations on two ships at early last month, which was part of a The fleet heading to Gaza CBS News has learned that the bearing aid and supporters of the Palestinians, including the Swedish climate activist Greta Thonberg.

Two American intelligence officials who were briefed on this matter told CBS News that on September 8 and 9, Israeli forces fired drones from a submarine and landed incendiary devices on the boats that were fleeing outside the port of Sidi Bou El -Tunisi, he said,, Fire. Officials spoke in the event that his identity was not disclosed because they were not allowed to publicly talk about national security issues.

Under international humanitarian law and armed conflict law, the use of incendiary weapons against civilian population or civilian things Prohibited In all circumstances.

Israel has imposed a sea blockade in the Gaza Strip for more than a decade, and first announced the restriction in January 2009, when the navy announced the closure of coastal water for all marine traffic. The move came about two years after Hamas took control of the region after a short but violent civil war with the Fatih party party, and the political and military organization of the Arab Palestinians, which is officially known as the Palestinian National Liberation Movement.

The Israeli Defense Forces did not respond to the CBS News request for comment.

The global Somoud fleet organized the International Maritime Initiative aimed at penetrating the maritime blockade in Israeli Gaza and providing assistance to the war -torn lands.

On September 8, a burning device was dropped on the family, a Portuguese ship. Global Somoud people He said CBS news that was the night before the attack, the Portuguese legislator Mariana Mortage was on board. The group said in a statement to the CBS News on Friday that activists believe that the perpetrators are deliberately waiting for “elected officials or prominent personalities absent.”

On September 9, Alma, a British ship, was attacked similarly as the family. Either way, the group He said Last month, the boats were damaged by the fire, but the crew was able to extinguish the fire quickly. No one was killed or injured.

“The assertion of the Israeli participation will not surprise us,” Sumud Sumud said in its statement on Friday.

The statement added: “Whether the purpose of these attacks is to kill us, intimidate us, or disrupt our boats, they are offending the reckless civilians and humanitarian volunteers. The world must take the observation: attempts to silence, intimidate or obstruct our commitment to responsibility.”

In September, the Tunisian authorities Disputed These drones that landing the burning devices in the fire caused, instead, claiming that the initial examination indicated that the explosion arose inside the boat, according to BBC News. Israeli -supporting accounts on social media claimed that the fires began after activists did not use a properly luminous pistol.

It seems that the shots released by the global Somoud fleet that CBS News shows a ball of fire to fall on the boat, which sparked fire on the plane, instead of the fire arising from inside the ship. The fixed cameras are not picked on the ships, as the fire arose by landing on the boat and does not depict a strait gun that is fired.

In separate incidents in late September, the active group He said They were attacked by 15 low drone drones while sailing in southern Greece. Somoud Boutela International said that at least 13 explosions were heard on several boats in the fleet and around them, things were dropped on at least 10 boats, causing damage. While no victims were reported, the active group He said Their communications systems were also broken.

This week, the Israeli navy objection Most of the ships associated with Gaza, dozens of activists, along with Thonberg and many European legislators, were detention of Swift international criticism.

American citizens who travel on the fleet were also detained by Israel. A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official told CBS News that the administration is monitoring the situation and is committed to providing assistance to American citizens. The official also described Flotilla as “deliberate and unnecessary provocation”, especially as the Trump administration continues to search for a solution that has been negotiated to end the war in Gaza.

Two Americans sail with Somoud Somoud the cylinder include veteran at Marine Jessica Clotfelter and Greg Sckeker, the organizer of the old warriors delegation to the group. On Wednesday, they are to talk By zooming to CBS News Chicago almost an hour before the Israeli navy intercepted the fleet.

“We are a civil aid task,” said Stalker.

Clotfelter CBS News Chicago told the photos that have left Gaza over the past two years were “tragic” and “Writching”.

She added: “I mean, I have likely cried every day on this boat because the violence since we set out on August 31 has escalated.”

Olivia Gaza

He contributed to this report.