One of the vessels part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) claimed this week that music by the popular band ABBA had been blasted through its radio, jamming its ability to contact the coastguard.
GSF shared a video of music from the Swedish band blaring through the speakers.
“We are witnessing these psychological operations first-hand, right now, but we will not be intimidated,” organizers from GSF said in a statement.
"They started jamming our comms by playing ABBA songs, you know, to interfere with our radio," German activist Yasemin Acar told NBC News. "We couldn’t even reach the Coastguard.”
In the early days of the war, footage circulated showing detained Palestinians forced to listen on repeat to children's music from the Israeli show Meni Mamtera. Critics decried the action as "torture," according to Turkish media site TRT.
'International waters felt like a battlefield'
Speaking on the drones that GSF have claimed targeted the vessels, Acar said, "The international waters felt like a battlefield. There were bombs after bombs ... and no one came to help."
GSF is carrying approximately 500 activists from over 40 countries, who allege to be carrying humanitarian aid destined for the Gaza Strip.
Israel attempted to mediate with the activists, offering for them to dock in Ashkelon and have the aid delivered through secure means. The activists rejected the offer.
Following failed mediation, Channel 12 reported that Israel intended to send the Shayetet 13 unit to detain and deport the activists at sea.
A number of countries, including Spain and Italy, have sent warships to protect the vessels as they continue with their voyage.
Divisions rock Gaza flotillas
Despite sharing a collective mission to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip, divisions have reportedly arisen among the activist participants.
A Maghreb contingent coordinator withdrew from the project over the involvement of LGBTQ activists, according to a report by the French publication Le Courrier de L’Atlas.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg was also removed from the Global Sumud Flotilla’s Steering Committee last week and switched vessels following a disagreement with her fellow activists.
Michael Starr contributed to this report.