"The government of Spain demands compliance with international law and respect for the right of its citizens to safely navigate the Mediterranean," Sánchez said during a Wednesday press conference in New York City, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly. He said a vessel equipped to assist the flotilla will depart from Cartagena on Thursday.
Sánchez's move came after Italy's defense minister, Guido Crosetto, said earlier Wednesday that his government sent a naval ship "to ensure assistance to the Italian citizens on the flotilla" following an overnight drone attack in the Mediterranean Sea.
Both ship announcements followed 16 foreign ministers, including Spain's José Manuel Albares, warning Israel against attacking the Global Sumud Flotilla last week. On Monday, the Spaniard had reaffirmed diplomatic support for participants, vowing that Spain "will react to any act that violates their freedom of movement, their freedom of expression, and international law."
The Israeli government has a history of attacking flotillas, and although it has not formally claimed credit for the recent drone attacks, it is widely believed to be responsible. The latest was "the largest and most terrifying attack yet," Progressive International co-general coordinator David Adler, who is part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, told Jacobin.
"While we expect these attacks to escalate each day that we approach Gaza, we cannot normalize the criminal violence committed against this peaceful convoy of humanitarian workers and the critical aid that we carry with us," Adler said. "This midnight incident is just a reminder of the brutal violence deployed against the people of Palestine, hour by hour and day by day. If the state of Israel can attack us here—with the eyes of the world watching—then they can do so in Gaza a millionfold, with even greater impunity."
Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has posted multiple threatening messages on social media attempting to connect the Global Sumud Flotilla to Hamas, which Israel and its ally the United States have designated a terrorist organization.
"We have another proposal for the Hamas-Sumud flotilla: If this is not about provocation and serving Hamas, you are welcome to unload any aid you might have at any port in a nearby country outside Israel, from which it can be transferred peacefully to Gaza," the ministry said several hours after the latest attack. "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 Spanish and Italian governments' decisions have generated questions about how Israel will now engage with the flotilla.
"Wow. This is absolutely huge," British writer Owen Jones said of Sánchez's move. "After the attacks, Spain is offering direct military protection to the flotilla bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza. So what now, Israel? Are you going to risk acts of war against a European nation so you can attack humanitarian vessels?"
The European leaders' actions have also been met with applause. Francesca Albanese, an Italian human rights lawyer now serving as UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, said: "Thank you, Spain."
"I implore other countries to mobilize their fleet to grant the flotilla safe sailing to Gaza, and deploy a real humanitarian convoy to break the blockade," she continued. "That's what people want. That's what humanity commands. If not in the time of a genocide, when??"
Nathan J. Robinson, editor in chief of Current Affairs, said: "This is a good start. Now tell him to gather food, pack it on ships, and send the whole navy."
"Let Israel face down the full Spanish Armada if it wants to block aid from entering Gaza," he added.
As casualties have continued to climb in Gaza—local officials said Wednesday that the Israeli assault has killed at least 65,419 Palestinians and injured 167,160, though global experts believe those figures are undercounts—a growing number of world leaders have not only called for a cease-fire but also recognized the Palestinian state.
At UN headquarters earlier this week, Sánchez described recent recognition of Palestine as "a crucial step" toward "the two-state solution" but also stressed that "there can be no solution when the population of one of those states is the victim of genocide."
Speaking to the General Assembly on Tuesday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for invoking the United for Peace resolution to send an armed protection force to Gaza. He also took aim at US diplomatic and weapons support for Israel, saying that President Donald Trump "allows missiles to be launched at children, young people, women, and the elderly" and "becomes complicit in genocide."
