Italy and Spain send military ships to escort Flotilla to Gaza

Italy and Spain sent military ships on Wednesday to escort the flotilla, the target of successive drone attacks while trying to bring humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The initiative, unprecedented by European governments, has expanded tension with Israel, which insists on maintaining naval blockage to the enclave and said it will not allow vessels to enter the active combat zone.

Flotilha is made up of about 50 civil vessels that carry lawyers, parliamentarians, journalists, human rights activists, including Swedish Greta Thunberg and Brazilian Thiago Ávila.

In recent days, participants have reported that they were attacked with moral effects, annoying powder and explosives flashbang (which produces a light light and a high intensity sound to disorient), as well as deliberate interference on radios.

There were no dead, but boats were damaged. According to activists, some devices contained chemicals with fetid odor.

From the interior of the vessels, the reports reinforced the complaint against Israel. Omar Fares told Al Mayadeen that “sound effect bombs were fired at the vessels.”

“We are on a peaceful mission. There were only light damage, but some devices contained chemicals and had fetid odor. Our morale is high, and our eyes and hearts are turned to Gaza,” he said.

Coordinator Wael Al-Nour told TV Al Araby that “the danger protocol was activated during the drone attack” and that all participants “are fully prepared for any scenario”.

“This mission is about Gaza, it is not about us. And no risk we can take approaches the risks that Palestinians face every day.” said Greta Thunberg.

The organizers also said that at least 11 boats were hit by explosions, unidentified drones and communication interruptions, asking the issue to be included in the UN General Assembly agenda.

The Minister of Defense of Italy, Guido Crosetto, justified the sending of frigates as a measure to protect Italian citizens.

“It is not an act of war, it is not an provocation: it is an act of humanity, which is a duty of a state towards its citizens,” he said.

At the same time, he warned that “we cannot guarantee the safety of our citizens if they enter territorial waters from other countries,” asking activists to deliver the supplies for distribution through official channels.

The Italian chancellor Antonio Tajani pointed out that “Italian citizens, along with members of Parliament and MEPs” participate in the mission, and that Rome had already notified Israel for any operation to be conducted in accordance with international law and “with absolute caution”.

In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that a warship would be sent from Cartagena to rescue citizens if necessary.

“The Government of Spain requires that international law be fulfilled and that the right of its citizens to navigate the Mediterranean in safe conditions is respected,” he said.

“We are concerned and therefore we will send a vessel to ensure, if necessary, that our citizens will be rescued and may return to Spain,” he added.

The episode coincided with the hardest intervention of the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, against Israel since the beginning of the war.

In a speech at the UN General Assembly, she accused Benjamin Netanyahu of promoting “a civilian massacre” in Gaza and stated that Italy would support the sanctions proposed by the European Union.

“Israel has surpassed the limits of proportionality in Gaza and is violating humanitarian norms, but we do not blame him. Hamas can free the hostages and end the war,” he said.

Meloni also said that his government will only recognize a Palestinian state if the hostages are released and Hamas is out of a possible government.

The prime minister also criticized the attacks on the flotilla, but classified it as “unjustified, dangerous and irresponsible.”

“We should not put our safety at risk. There is no need to enter a combat zone to deliver Gaza – help that Italian authorities can send in a few hours,” he said.

Israel, in turn, said that it does not seek confrontation with the Italian and Spanish naval forces and that the Navy, with the support of the Air Force, acts to prevent the advance of the flotilla.

The plan, according to the Israeli army, is to intercept the vessels only in territorial waters, avoiding provocations and using non -violent means whenever possible.

The UN requested an immediate investigation into the attacks and required them to cease. Already the United States had an ambiguous demonstration.

“This is the problem, especially when Israel is attacking everyone. Israel is attacking Syria, Israel is attacking Lebanon, Israel is attacking Tunisia. And the more that continues, the stronger the Hezbollah argument is here to protect the Lebanese from Israel.” said sent from Washington, Thomas Barck, in a statement to Sky News Arabia.

The memory of other operations hangs over the episode. In 2010, Israeli commands attacked the flotilla that carried the ship Mavi Marmara, killing ten Turkish activists. Since then, no great mission has been able to reach Gaza by Mar, and all attempts have been intercepted.