Polish MP aboard Gaza aid flotilla hit by alleged drone attack

A member of Poland’s parliament who is part of an aid flotilla attempting to reach Gaza that claims to have been attacked by drones has called on his country’s government to condemn the incident and help protect the ships.

In response, Poland’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, criticised Franciszek Sterczewski, who is a member of the ruling coalition, for choosing to travel to a war zone despite repeated warnings not to.

An initiative called the Global Sumud Flotilla is attempting to use around 50 civilian boats to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver aid to the territory. Among those on board are climate activist Greta Thunberg.

On Wednesday, the flotilla reported coming under attack overnight by drones while it was in international waters around 56 kilometres (30 nautical miles) off the coast of the Greek island of Gavdos.

In response, Italy and Spain announced on Thursday that they would send naval ships to protect the flotilla. Italy’s defence minister, Guido Crosetto, “strongly condemned” the drone attack, though noted that the “perpetrators [are] currently unidentified”.

The UN’s Human Rights Office, meanwhile, said that the attack on a flotilla trying to deliver aid “defies belief” and called for “an independent, impartial and thorough investigation” that would result in “holding those responsible to account”.

In the early hours of Wednesday, Sterczewski himself reported on social media that “a drone has just attacked a Polish-flagged humanitarian aid ship on which I am sailing”. He said that the ship had suffered damage as a result.

“I am calling on the Polish government to protect the flotilla and take action to end the genocide in Gaza,” he added.

Speaking later to the Polish Press Agency (PAP), Sterczewski said that he had been in contact with the Polish foreign ministry about the attack and was awaiting a response. “We expect a clear statement that the attack constitutes a violation of international law,” he declared.

However, the ministry’s spokesman, Paweł Wroński, told PAP that Sterczewski had, in fact, not directly contacted the ministry, instead just making posts on social media.

Others aboard the flotilla include Omar Faris, president of the Social and Cultural Association of Polish Palestinians; Nina Ptak, head of the Nomada Association, a Polish anti-discrimination NGO; and Ewa Jasiewicz, a Polish journalist and author who had written extensively about Gaza.

Poland’s foreign ministry issued a statement saying that it had ascertained that all Polish citizens on the flotilla “are currently in Greece, safe, and unharmed” while the ships undergo repairs.

Sterczewski, however, denied this, saying that although their boat was undergoing repairs, the crew was back at sea on different vessels.

The ministry added that it planned to soon summon a representative of the Israeli embassy in Warsaw “to express concern for the fate of Polish citizens participating in the flotilla’s voyage”.

But it also reiterated its previous “warnings regarding being in a war zone” and noted that “the Polish consular service is unable to assist our citizens under all circumstances”

Sikorski, the foreign minister, delivered a similar message on social media, posting a poll on X in which he asked his followers: “If a Polish citizen, even a member of parliament, after repeated warnings, travels to a war zone, should the Polish state cover the evacuation costs or recover the evacuation costs?”

Sterczewski himself responded to Sikorski’s post, writing that, “as a member of parliament, I have a duty to be where human rights are being violated…I hope that the government of Poland will also stand on the side of those who want to end this genocide, instead of presenting them with bills”.

Poland’s government has recently become more vocal in its criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, as reports of a humanitarian crisis in the territory grow.

In August, Sikorski himself accused Israel of using “excessive force” and called on it to “respect international humanitarian law” in its “occupation” of Gaza and the West Bank, saying that “no one has the right to cause children to starve”.

Soon after, Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared that, while “Poland was, is and will be on Israel’s side in its confrontation with Islamic terrorism”, it would “never [be] on the side of politicians whose actions lead to hunger and the death of mothers and children”.

Last week, culture minister Marta Cienkowska said that she believes Poland should not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel takes part.

Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

Main image credit: Franek Sterczewski/Facebook

Daniel Tilles

Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.