Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday he will join Italy in sending a military warship to protect an activist flotilla seeking to deliver an amount of publicity aid to Gaza after it was allegedly attacked by drones off Greece.
Sanchez told a press conference in New York where he has been attending the UN General Assembly that the citizens of 45 countries were on board to deliver food to the population of Gaza and express solidarity with their suffering. Critics contend the flotilla’s mission is more symbolic than practical in addressing humanitarian needs.
"The Government of Spain insists that international law be respected and that the right of our citizens should be respected to sail through the Mediterranean in safe conditions," he said.
"Tomorrow we will dispatch a naval vessel from Cartagena with all necessary resources in case it was necessary to assist the flotilla and carry out a rescue operation."
The “Global Sumud Flotilla” is using about 50 civilian boats to try to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza, with activist influencers on board, including controversial Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.
The vessels were allegedly “attacked by 12 drones” in international waters 56 kilometres off the Greek island of Gavdos, said Marikaiti Stasinou, a spokesperson for March to Gaza Greece, which is part of the flotilla. The allegations have not been independently verified.
Thunberg told Reuters on Monday that they had, “drones flying over them each night.”
Israel has repeatedly criticised the flotilla for its implied support for Hamas, but made no comment on whether it was responsible for the drones.
It launched the war in Gaza in response to attacks on October 7, 2023, by Hamas terrorists which killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
(Reporting by Aislinn Laing; Editing by Daniel Wallis)