Spain & Italy send ships to accompany Gaza flotilla amid reports of new drone attacks

On Wednesday, Spain and Italy both announced that they intended to send military ships to escort the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) sailing towards Gaza following reports of drone attacks. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the dispatch of an Italian naval vessel on Wednesday, but clarified that, contrary to claims by the Flotilla organizers, the ship would not use force. 

The GSF contains about 50 civilian vessels sailing towards Gaza with the stated aim of breaking the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which has been in force for several years to prevent the smuggling of weapons and illegal materials into the Gaza Strip. 

The Italian government later clarified that it was sending the naval vessel in order to guarantee the safety of Italian activists, including members of parliament, who are on the vessels. 

The Italian government had proposed a compromise, in which the aid supplies carried by the flotilla would be delivered to the Catholic Church's Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Cyprus, which would then oversee their distribution inside Gaza. However, the flotilla organization rejected the compromise. 

The Italian delegation participating in the flotilla said in a statement, “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 government sent a frigate on Wednesday after the flotilla reported being targeted by drones overnight on Tuesday-Wednesday, near the Greek island of Gavdos. 

Prime Minister Meloni promised that no military force would be used, and even drew criticism for calling the flotilla mission “gratuitous, dangerous, and irresponsible.” 

She said the aid could have been delivered “by competent authorities” instead of the flotilla. 

“There is no need to risk one’s own safety; it is not necessary to go to a war zone to deliver aid to Gaza, which the Italian government and the competent authorities could have delivered in a few hours,” Meloni said ahead of her speech at the UN General Assembly. 

On Thursday, Spain announced that it would also dispatch a naval vessel to accompany the flotilla, as Italy announced the sending of a second vessel. 

Spanish President Pedro Sanchez said his government “demands that international law be complied with and that the right of its citizens to navigate the Mediterranean under safe conditions be respected” during a briefing announcing the dispatch of the naval vessel. 

The Israeli government has not commented on the alleged drone attacks; however, it invited the flotilla to dock at Ashkelon, where the aid could be transferred over land into Gaza. The GSF denied the request. 

The Hamas flotilla refuses Israel’s proposal to unload aid peacefully at the nearby Ashkelon Marina. Instead, it chooses the illegal path — sailing into a combat zone and breaching the lawful naval blockade.

This proves their true aim: serving Hamas rather than delivering aid to… pic.twitter.com/yD3mbYIrSS

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) September 23, 2025

Israeli authorities accuse the GSF of having ties to Hamas, and point out that the flotilla is carrying less aid than one truck and is not capable of docking in Gaza. Officials say the flotilla is a publicity stunt designed to make Israel look bad for enforcing the blockade. 

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said that Italy had no intention “to start a war with an ally.” 

According to Al Jazeera, Italy’s defense minister explained the deployment of a second ship with the “Freedom Flotilla”:

“We have no intention of deploying warships to start a war with an ally. Our presence there is to protect the Italian citizens participating in the flotilla.… https://t.co/VzKS636Mgu

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) September 25, 2025

“We have no intention of deploying warships to start a war with an ally. Our presence there is to protect the Italian citizens participating in the flotilla. We are concerned about their entry into Israeli territorial waters,” he said, announcing the deployment of the second vessel. 

While the flotilla has accused Israel of attacking it with drones and by other means, some analysts are not convinced. 

🚨 Over 15 drones have circled the Alma in hours, flying low every 10 minutes — clear intimidation, likely surveillance. pic.twitter.com/dNv7vDs2rd

— Global Sumud Flotilla Commentary (@GlobalSumudF) September 23, 2025

In previous incidents in which the flotilla reported attacks by drones, which they blamed on Israel, local authorities did not corroborate the details of the attacks.

Even in the most recent incident, while the Hellenic Coast Guard acknowledged receiving a distress call near Gavdos and even dispatched a Coast Guard vessel to investigate, the flotilla declined a request to inspect the affected vessels. 

The presence of the Spanish and Italian warships could allow the claims of drone attacks to be corroborated, as the vessels carry much more substantial imaging and communication systems, as well as anti-drone capabilities. 

The flotilla said it would hold “an emergency press conference” later on Thursday to share details of “an imminent Israeli attack on the flotilla.” 

🚨 BREAKING: The Global Sumud Flotilla will hold an emergency press conference today at 15:00 CET after credible intelligence warned of an imminent Israeli attack on the flotilla. The briefing will address these grave threats and urge immediate international action. pic.twitter.com/yO2Z37wXRM

— Global Sumud Flotilla Commentary (@GlobalSumudF) September 25, 2025

The GSF said, "The briefing will address these grave threats and urge immediate international action."