Gaza aid flotilla reports explosions, drones and radios 'jammed' with ABBA music

Organizers of a flotilla carrying aid for Gaza have reported explosions near their boats and seeing multiple drones around the fleet, which is made up of more than 500 people, including prominent environmental activist Greta Thunberg

Organizers of a flotilla carrying aid for Gaza have reported explosions near their boats and seeing multiple drones around the fleet, which is made up of more than 500 people, including prominent environmental activist Greta Thunberg.

Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) which was sailing near Greece as of early Wednesday, according its online tracker, also saw its communications “jammed,” its organizers said in a statement.

“We are witnessing these psychological operations first-hand, right now, but we will not be intimidated,” they added. “Sumud” in Arabic means “steadfastness” or “steadfast perseverance.”

In an online video shared by GSF overnight, a bright light can be seen piercing the darkness, before a loud blast rings out. Organizers said that the video was filmed from one of its boats, Spectre, and that it captured one of the explosions heard by crew members.

In a separate video posted by Yasemin Acar on the vessel Alma, music from the pop group ABBA, whose members, like Thunberg hail from Sweden, can be heard ringing out. “They’re jamming our radio,” Acar says in the post, adding, “We do not know where this is coming from, the sound, but other vessels are experiencing the same thing.”