Turkey has joined Spain, Italy and Greece in monitoring an international flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, which was sailing east across the Mediterranean Sea on Monday, despite warnings from Israel to halt the mission, flight records show.
Flight tracking sites showed that three long-endurance drones, originating from Turkey's Çorlu air base, had been circling over the flotilla for three days, highlighting growing international interest in the ships that have vowed to break an Israeli naval blockade around the Gaza Strip.
Reuters notes that it was unable to confirm the reason for the drone flights, while Turkey's foreign and defense ministries and intelligence agency did not respond to requests for comment.
As foreign media write, the global Sumud flotilla, consisting of civilian ships carrying parliamentarians, lawyers and activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, was still hundreds of miles off the Gaza coastline on Monday.
But it was approaching an area where other flotillas have been caught before, people on board said. Tracking sites showed about 40 ships in the flotilla.
Its progress has heightened international tensions, particularly after a drone attack last week that damaged several ships.
No one was injured, but the flotilla had to stop for several days in Greek waters for repairs before setting off again for Gaza over the weekend.
Organizers said Monday that the mission is now expected to arrive in Gaza in about four days.
Italy and Spain have deployed navy ships to accompany the flotilla in case of rescue or humanitarian needs, but have said they will not engage militarily.
The Greek Coast Guard had also been monitoring progress while the flotilla was in its rescue zone.
Italy warned Sunday that the flotilla was approaching a high-risk area and repeated a proposal made last week that the flotilla take the aid to Cyprus for eventual distribution to Gaza by the Roman Catholic Church. The flotilla rejected the idea.
"Israel has shown several times that it has no red lines, so it is clear that we are concerned about what it could do. We will obviously do everything to have a peaceful and non-violent stance," Italian member of the European Parliament, Benedetta Scuderi, told Italy's Radio 24 from aboard the flotilla on Monday.
Israel did not comment on last week's drone incident, but has previously said it will use any means to prevent the ships from reaching Gaza, arguing that its naval blockade is legal as it battles Hamas militants in the coastal enclave.
