A ship from the Spanish Navy will set sail towards the Sumud Flotilla in order to assist and perform rescue operations in case it is necessary, Spanish President Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday.
"Spain's government demands that international law be complied with and that the right of its citizens to navigate the Mediterranean under safe conditions be respected," he said on a briefing.
"Tomorrow itself, a maritime action vessel equipped with all necessary means will set sail from Cartagena in case it is necessary to assist the flotilla and carry out any rescue."
This decision comes after reports of the flotilla re-evaluating their mission due to the sightings of drones and fear of a possible interception by Israeli forces, Qatari outlet Al Jazeera reported.
The Al Jazeera report also mentioned warnings by several countries about an "imminent Israeli action against the flotilla" and the need for people to evacuate the ships.
Italy sends a ship to the Sumud Flotilla
After reports of several drone attacks on the sea convoy overnight on Wednesday, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said in a statement that the flotilla had been targeted by "currently unidentified perpetrators." He expressed the "strongest condemnation" of the incident.
The vessels were reportedly attacked by 12 drones in international waters 30 nautical miles off the Greek island of Gavdos, said Marikaiti Stasinou, a spokesperson for March to Gaza Greece, which is part of the flotilla.
Crosetto added that the Italian multi-purpose frigate Fasan, previously sailing north of Crete, was "already on route" towards the flotilla "for possible rescue operations."
An Italian official stated that the navy had been mobilized primarily to assist Italians on board. "If needed, our frigate has a well-stocked infirmary," he said.
Israel has repeatedly criticized the flotilla after discovering that some activists on board have ties to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Reuters contributed to this report.