In an unprecedented move for Western countries, Italy and Spain overlooked likely Israeli reactions and deployed military vessels to assist an international aid flotilla that came under drone attack while trying to deliver aid to Gaza.
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 Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Thursday his country had sent one ship and another was on its way, primarily to offer assistance to Italians aboard the flotilla. He, however, 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 toward 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 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 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 kilometers) off the Greek island of Gavdos.
No one was hurt, but some damage was caused to the vessels.
Spain also said it was sending a military warship Thursday to assist the flotilla, joining Italy in an unprecedented move by European governments.
Previous activist attempts to break the naval blockade on Gaza were neutralized by force by the Israeli military.
In 2010, 10 Turkish activists were killed by Israeli commandos who raided the Mavi Marmara ship leading an aid flotilla toward Gaza.
Italian Prime Minister Meloni, a traditional ally of Israel, stressed Wednesday that no use of military force was expected by her country's navy, and criticized the flotilla initiative.
The flotilla has blamed Israel for the drone attack.
Israel's Foreign Ministry did not respond directly to the accusation, but invited the flotilla to drop humanitarian aid at any port in a country near Israel, leaving it to Israeli authorities to take it to Gaza, or else face consequences.
"Israel will not allow vessels to enter an active combat zone and will not allow the breach of a lawful naval blockade.
"Is this about aid or about provocation?", the ministry wrote on X.
The flotilla said early Thursday that its vessels were sailing at slow speed in Greek territorial waters, had been subjected to "moderate drone activity" during the night and were heading toward international waters "later today."
Israel launched its nearly two-year-old war on Gaza in response to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas incursion which caused around 1,200 deaths and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Since then, Israel genocidal war has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza health authorities, and has spread famine, destroyed most buildings, and displaced the population, in many cases multiple times.
