RESTRICTION: USERS MUST CREDIT “SPANISH PRIME MINISTRY” HANDOUT —EDITORIAL USE ONLY— SHOTLIST: NEW YORK CITY, US (SEPT. 24, 2025) (SPANISH PRIME MINISTRY - RESTRICTED) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPANISH PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ SPEAKING AT PRESS CONFERENCE "The genocide suffered by the Palestinian people. These are values that I believe the vast majority of Spanish society shares, regardless of how they vote. From left to right, nationalists and non-nationalists, I believe everyone is deeply moved by the suffering we are witnessing in Ukraine and also in Gaza. Therefore, I feel immense pride in defending these values here, in the house of multilateralism, for what they represent and for what they say about us as a society and as a country. In this regard, I would like to say that the government of Spain demands that international law be upheld and that the right of our citizens to navigate the Mediterranean under safe conditions be respected. For this reason, I inform you that as of tomorrow, a maritime action vessel will depart from Cartagena, equipped with all the necessary resources in case it becomes necessary to assist the flotilla and carry out a rescue."NEW YORK CITY, US — SEPT. 24, 2025 — RESTRICTION: USERS MUST CREDIT “SPANISH PRIME MINISTRY” HANDOUT —EDITORIAL USE ONLY— Spain will send a navy vessel to support the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced in New York on Wednesday, the El Pais newspaper reported. "A maritime action vessel equipped with all the necessary resources will set sail from Cartagena tomorrow in case it is necessary to assist the flotilla and carry out any rescues," Sanchez said. According to the report, Madrid coordinated the move with Rome after the Italian government announced the deployment of the frigate Fasan to assist Italian citizens on board and conduct potential relief operations. Spain’s Defense Ministry has also contacted its Italian counterpart to explore a broader coordinated action, which could involve other countries such as Ireland. Officials stressed that the mission of the European ships would not be to confront possible Israeli aggression but rather to provide humanitarian assistance if needed. The Spanish Navy vessel will operate in international waters. The flotilla, made up of about 50 ships, set sail earlier this month with the aim of breaking Israel’s blockade and delivering humanitarian aid, particularly medical supplies, to Gaza, where 2.4 million Palestinians have been under siege for 18 years. Organizers earlier reported 12 blasts hitting nine ships in international waters after drones repeatedly targeted the flotilla. While the group did not attribute responsibility, Israel – which has threatened to block the mission from reaching Gaza – has not commented. UN investigators recently concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, where over 65,000 people have been killed since October 2023.