Italy, Spain deploy warships to protect Gaza aid flotilla after drone attack
ROME: Italy and Spain have sent naval vessels to protect an international flotilla delivering aid to Gaza after it came under drone attack, in an unprecedented move that risks escalating tensions with Israel, which opposes the initiative.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, made up of around 50 civilian boats carrying lawyers, parliamentarians and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, is seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade.
Italy’s defence ministry said a frigate dispatched on Wednesday, hours after the flotilla was targeted en route to Gaza, would be replaced by another vessel. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told parliament the mission aimed to protect lives.
“It is not an act of war, it is not a provocation: it is an act of humanity, which is a duty of a state towards its citizens,” Crosetto said.
FLOTILLA REJECTS CYPRUS COMPROMISE
The Italian foreign ministry said Belgium, France and other European nations had asked Italy to help their citizens on the flotilla if needed.
Italy proposed that aid supplies could be dropped in Cyprus and handed to the Catholic Church’s Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for distribution in Gaza, a plan Israel supported. But the flotilla rejected the compromise on Thursday.
“Our mission stays true to its original goal of breaking Israel’s illegal siege and delivering humanitarian aid to the besieged population of Gaza,” the Italian group said.
The Latin Patriarchate declined to comment on reports it was in discussions.
Spain said on Thursday it was sending a warship to assist the flotilla, joining Italy in an unprecedented deployment by European governments.
ISRAEL QUESTIONS MOTIVES
Previous attempts to breach the Gaza blockade have been stopped by force. In 2010, Israeli commandos killed 10 Turkish activists aboard the Mavi Marmara aid ship.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a strong ally of Israel, said no use of force was expected from Italy’s navy, calling the flotilla “gratuitous, dangerous and irresponsible”.
The flotilla has accused Israel of carrying out the drone attack, in which stun grenades and itching powder were dropped on boats off the Greek island of Gavdos.
Israel did not address the accusation directly but said aid could be delivered via nearby ports. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote on X that rejecting the Cyprus option showed the flotilla’s “real purpose is provocation and serving Hamas”.
“Israel will not allow vessels to enter an active combat zone and will not allow the breach of a lawful naval blockade,” he said.
TENSIONS RISE AT SEA
The flotilla said its vessels were sailing slowly in Greek waters and had faced “moderate drone activity” overnight, adding that some activists had chosen to disembark.
“It is clear that tensions are rising, and with them, risks are also rising,” said Annalisa Corrado, an EU lawmaker from Italy’s opposition Democratic Party aboard one of the boats.
Israel’s nearly two-year-old war on Gaza was launched after the Oct 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Gaza health authorities say more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, with widespread famine, destruction and mass displacement.
