The European regional office of the World Federation of Trade Unions strongly condemns the act of terrorism carried out against the Freedom Sumud Flotilla, when a boat belonging to the flotilla was hit by a drone in Tunisia in the night between 8 and 9 September. It was only by chance that there were no casualties.

The intention is clear: to prevent the humanitarian mission involving activists from over 40 countries from achieving its objectives of delivering medicines, food and water to the exhausted population of the Gaza Strip by any means necessary.

The decision to attack one of the ships before the flotilla had even departed collectively clearly shows Israel's intentions.

In view of the escalation that began tonight, the Eurof WFTU calls on all affiliated organisations to exercise maximum vigilance, denounce the situation, and mobilise in support of the mission to protect the safety of the activists.

Eurof condemns the European Union's stance, which states that it does not encourage the flotilla because it 'leads to escalation', as well as the governments that do not impose sanctions on Israel or openly denounce its intention to complete the genocide of the Palestinian people through the ground operation launched by Netanyahu.

Eurof also condemns the complicit silence of the ETUC regarding the ongoing genocide in Gaza, as well as the political cover it provides to its affiliate, the Israeli trade union Histadrut, which unreservedly supports the actions of the Israeli government.

The WFTU's chosen slogan, 'We refuse to work for the war', must guide our ongoing efforts to block the transport of arms and all institutional, business and research collaboration with Israel.