ROME: Italy and Spain have deployed military ships to assist an international aid flotilla that has come under drone attack while trying to deliver aid to Gaza, potentially ratcheting up tensions with Israel, which strongly opposes the initiative.
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) is using about 50 civilian boats to try to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. Many lawyers, parliamentarians and activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, are on board.
Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday his country had sent one ship and another was on its way, primarily to offer assistance to Italians aboard the flotilla. He also urged activists to abandon plans to breach the blockade.
“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,” he told the upper house of parliament on the decision to send navy ships.
Italy had proposed a compromise whereby aid supplies could be dropped off in Cyprus and handed over to the Catholic Church’s Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which would then distribute them in Gaza. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Israel backed the idea.
However, the Italian delegation rejected that suggestion on behalf of the flotilla 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 in a statement.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said it would not comment on reports that it was in discussions about the flotilla. Italy sent a first frigate on Wednesday, hours after the flotilla said it was targeted by drones that dropped stun grenades and itching powder on the vessels as they sailed in international waters 30 nautical miles (56 km) off the Greek island of Gavdos.
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