Spain and Italy have committed to sending warships to protect the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), a civilian convoy of over 50 vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, following a drone attack that damaged the fleet and left over a dozen explosions. The attack occurred off the coast of Greece and was blamed by activists on board the ships for being orchestrated by Israel. These developments come just days after the fleet departed from Barcelona in early September with the aim of breaking Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. The incident has prompted Rome and Madrid to vow to ensure the safety of their citizens aboard the flotilla, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez both taking strong stances in defense of the humanitarian effort.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the drone attacks as ‘dangerous and irresponsible,’ expressing deep concerns over the safety of the activists and citizens on board the GSF. Despite her criticism, she also reiterated her government’s position that the flotilla remains ‘a dangerous, irresponsible means to deliver aid.’ In a speech to the Italian parliament, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto emphasized that the government would ‘do everything necessary to protect our citizens’ and that the situation was ‘an act of humanity, which is a duty of a state towards its citizens.’ Spain’s approach was similarly resolute, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stating that Spanish warships would be deployed ‘to ensure that, if necessary, our citizens can be rescued.’ He also made it clear that Spain would not hesitate to take diplomatic and political action against Israel regarding this matter.
Israel, however, continues to assert that the GSF is an ‘active combat zone’ and that its naval blockade is ‘lawful,’ refusing to allow the flotilla to proceed. The country has previously halted two attempts by the activist group to break the blockade, and it is unclear whether this new development will change its stance. Rome had previously proposed a compromise that would allow the aid to be unloaded in Cyprus, a plan that Meloni said had the backing of Israel. The Italian delegation within the GSF, however, rejected this idea, insisting that the mission ‘stays true to its original goal’ of delivering aid to Gaza. As these tensions continue to escalate, the situation remains highly volatile, with both sides accusing the other of endangering the lives of those on board the flotilla. The international community is now watching closely to see whether the deployment of warships will lead to a resolution or further escalation in the region.