Spain says it will send military ship to ‘protect’ Gaza aid flotilla

Following in Italy’s footsteps, Spain announced it will also send a Navy ship to protect and, if necessary, rescue members of the flotilla currently on its way to Gaza with humanitarian aid to break the Israeli blockade. The idea is not for the Spanish ship to confront the drones that have been attacking the flotilla, and therefore a military clash with Israel is not being considered. But the dispatch of the ship is a clear sign of the tension that currently dominates relations between the two countries.

“The Spanish government demands compliance with international law and respect for our citizens’ right to sail safely in the Mediterranean. For this reason, tomorrow a maritime action vessel equipped with all the necessary resources will depart from [the Cartagena military base] in case it becomes necessary to assist the flotilla or carry out a rescue,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said in New York, where he is attending the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations.

Spain’s maritime action vessels are ocean patrol boats equipped with a 76-millimeter Oto Melara cannon and two machine guns, as well as a helicopter and a surveillance drone. They can carry 80 people on board. The ship Furor will be sent out in support of the flotilla, according to Navy sources. Its 46-member crew includes officers, non-commissioned officers and sailors, and is equipped with medical personnel. The ship “will try to leave tomorrow,” the same sources said.