Southwala Shorts
- Italy and Spain have deployed naval warships to support an international flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, after the convoy came under drone attack earlier this...
- The move marks an unprecedented step by European governments and adds new pressure to Israel, which maintains a strict naval blockade on the territory.
- The Global Sumud Flotilla consists of around 50 civilian boats carrying aid supplies.
- On board are international activists, parliamentarians, lawyers, and campaigners, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Italy and Spain have deployed naval warships to support an international flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, after the convoy came under drone attack earlier this week. The move marks an unprecedented step by European governments and adds new pressure to Israel, which maintains a strict naval blockade on the territory.
The Global Sumud Flotilla consists of around 50 civilian boats carrying aid supplies. On board are international activists, parliamentarians, lawyers, and campaigners, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Their mission is to directly deliver aid to Gaza and challenge Israel’s blockade.
On Wednesday, the flotilla reported being targeted by drones in international waters near Greece. The drones dropped stun grenades and itching powder, causing some damage to vessels but no serious injuries. Hours later, Italy sent its first frigate, which is now being replaced by another vessel for continued protection. Spain announced it would also send a warship on Thursday.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told parliament that the deployment was not meant as a provocation. “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 said. Italy stressed that its role is to protect people, not to escalate tensions.
Italy had earlier proposed that aid be dropped in Cyprus, to be distributed in Gaza by the Catholic Church’s Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, a plan Israel supported. However, flotilla organizers rejected the idea, stating: “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 incident has revived memories of past flotilla confrontations, including the deadly 2010 raid on the Turkish vessel Mavi Marmara. While Israel insists the blockade is necessary for security, critics argue it deepens the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
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