The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) announced on Thursday that all communications have been lost with the Handala, a humanitarian vessel en route to Gaza in an effort to break Israel’s ongoing blockade on the besieged enclave.

The development has sparked growing concern for the safety of the 21 people on board, including six American citizens.

According to a statement released by the coalition on its official Telegram channel, all contact with the Handala was suddenly lost while “multiple drones hovered above the vessel.” The FFC said the jamming of communications suggests that the ship may have been intercepted or attacked by Israeli forces.

“We need you to pressure for the safety of the crew,” the statement read, calling on the public to contact their representatives and local media outlets. The coalition demanded Israel ensure the safe passage of the Handala and allow the humanitarian mission to reach Gaza.

The vessel had departed two days earlier from the Italian port of Gallipoli, carrying aid and international activists in a peaceful mission to challenge the Israeli-imposed blockade that has strangled the Gaza Strip for over 17 years. The mission comes in the context of Israel’s ongoing military assault on Gaza, which has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian deaths, massive displacement, and widespread hunger.

Among the activists on board is American actor and human rights advocate Jacob Berger. Speaking to Al Mayadeen before the ship lost contact, Berger stated that Handala carried 21 volunteers from several countries. “Our goal is to break the illegal siege on Gaza,” Berger emphasized. “If this mission succeeds, it will encourage more countries and ships to challenge Israel’s blockade through peaceful, humanitarian action.”

Berger also revealed that the ship had already been targeted twice in recent days, in what appeared to be attempts to sabotage its mission. “Despite the threats, morale remains high. Everyone on board is fully committed to supporting the Palestinian people,” he added.

The disappearance of Handala follows a worrying precedent. In June, another humanitarian ship, the Madleen, carrying activists and aid, was intercepted by Israeli naval forces as it neared Gaza. Commandos from Israel’s elite Shayetet 13 unit stormed the ship, seized control of it, and detained all those on board before deporting them to their respective countries.

The repeated targeting of humanitarian flotillas has drawn sharp criticism from international rights groups, who accuse Israel of violating international law and suppressing civil resistance efforts that seek to deliver essential aid to the people of Gaza.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is now urging civil society, governments, and human rights organizations to act urgently to protect the Handala’s passengers and to demand accountability for any attempt to sabotage or attack the mission.

“The international community must no longer stay silent,” the FFC said in its statement. “This is a peaceful humanitarian mission. Blocking it is yet another violation of human rights and international law. The people of Gaza are in desperate need, and the world has a duty to respond.”

The fate of the Handala and its crew remains unknown as of Wednesday morning. The coalition vows to continue its efforts until the blockade is lifted and Palestinians in Gaza are granted access to the humanitarian assistance they urgently need. (ILKHA)