The “Global Sumud” international flotilla, a part to break the blockade imposed in Gaza, says it has been targeted in the night by multiple drones off Greece. The incident, which occurred in international waters, aroused a wave of diplomatic reactions: Italy and Spain have deployed military frigates for “possible rescue operations”, while the UN called to end the attacks.
According to the organizers, “15 to 16 drones” have flown and targeted several of the fifty boats making up the flotilla, transporting some 500 participants from 45 countries – including deputies, doctors, journalists and activists. “Explosions”, “communication scrambles” and “unidentified objects” dropped since the air have been reported. Three ships would have suffered damage, according to Polish MP Franek Sterczewski.
This is the second time that the flotilla has said that it has been attacked: on the night of September 8 to 9, a first assault by drone had been reported off Tunis.
Rome and Madrid on the front line
Faced with the presence of sixty Italians, including four parliamentarians, the Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto announced the immediate sending of the frigate Fasan, engaged in the maritime surveillance operation Pond sicuro. “To guarantee assistance to Italian citizens, we must be ready to intervene,” he said.
In parallel, Spain has also mobilized an intervention ship from Cartagena, Pedro Sánchez demanding “respect for international law and the security of European citizens in the Mediterranean”. The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, while condemning the attacks, judged the mission “dangerous and irresponsible”, proposing that the aid transported be landed in Cyprus.
“These attacks must stop and an independent investigation must be carried out,” urged the spokesperson for the High Commission for Human Rights, Thameen Al-Kheetan. Several European political leaders, including the French Florence Heskia, have denounced “a blatant violation of international law”.
The Quai d’Orsay, for its part, expressed its concern but recalled that the crews had chosen to go to Gaza, thus exposing their passengers at the risk.
The flotilla intends to join the Gaza Strip to “break the Israeli blockade”, after two attempts aborted in June and July. Israel reaffirmed this week that he would not let ships approach his coasts, considered as a “combat zone”.
