Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez: We are sending a warship to protect the flotilla carrying aid to Gaza

(Patria) - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday that Spain will join Italy in sending a military warship to protect an international flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza after it was attacked by drones off the coast of Greece, Al Arabiya reported.

Sanchez told a press conference in New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly, that citizens from 45 countries were on board the ship to deliver food to the people of Gaza and express solidarity with their suffering.

"The Spanish government insists on respect for international law and respect for the right of our citizens to sail the Mediterranean in safe conditions," he said.

"Tomorrow we will send a warship from Cartagena with all necessary resources in case it is needed to assist the flotilla and carry out a rescue operation."

The Global Sumud flotilla uses around fifty civilian vessels to try to break the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza, and on board are many lawyers and activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

The vessels were attacked by twelve drones in international waters thirty nautical miles (56 km) from the Greek island of Gavdos, said Marikaiti Stasinou, a spokesperson for the mission

"March to Gaza Greece," which is part of the flotilla.

Thunberg told Reuters on Monday that drones had been flying over them every night.

"This mission is about Gaza, not about us. And no risk we could take could even come close to the risks Palestinians face every day," Thunberg said in a video call from the ship.

Israel has repeatedly criticized the flotilla but has not commented on whether it is responsible for the drone attacks.