Zagreb, 26 September 2025 (Hina/MIA) - Croatian lawyer Morana Miljanović, captain of one of 50 ships seeking to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip, said on Thursday that she expected further Israeli attacks and called on Croatia to help protect the flotilla.

"We are facing an extreme presence of drones. Last night we were attacked by drones, there were 11 incidents, and explosives were dropped on sailing boats and larger ships," Miljanović said in a video released by the platform "Free Palestine. Solidarity from Croatia".

The ships came under attack during the night between Wednesday and Thursday near the Greek island of Crete, but continued sailing towards the Gaza Strip.

"Tonight we expect a possible escalation. Despite the fact that we are sailing in accordance with humanitarian law and in international waters, this unprovoked and completely illegal attack does not look like the last threat to the flotilla," Miljanović said.

Italy and Spain each sent a naval vessel on Thursday to protect the humanitarian convoy.

"As a Croatian citizen, unfortunately I have nothing comparable in terms of the Croatian government pledging or saying anything about upholding international law and protecting me as a Croatian citizen in international waters from an illegal attack," Miljanović said from the ship, which is currently in international waters near Greece.

"I appeal to Croatia to do something about this," she added.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told the media that the attacks on the flotilla were "completely unacceptable" and that those behind them should be brought to justice. He stressed that the flotilla was on a humanitarian mission and posed no threat to Israel.

Miljanović is captain of the ship Shireen, named after the courageous Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israeli soldiers while reporting on their raid on a refugee camp in 2022. The ship provides legal support to the flotilla's vessels.

The Global Sumud Flotilla is so far the largest convoy of ships attempting to reach the coast of the Gaza Strip, following a UN report saying that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians. Israel has previously stopped aid ships that have tried since 2008 to break its naval blockade.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry has called it "the Hamas-Sumud flotilla", referring to the Palestinian militant group.

"If this (flotilla) 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. Israel will not allow vessels to enter an active combat zone and will not allow the breach of a lawful naval blockade," the Israeli ministry said.

The Global Sumud Flotilla was formed by bringing together aid ships that set sail from Barcelona, Sicily and Tunisia, and will now be joined by ships from Greece.

"The participants are united by resistance to the death machine. We are standing in solidarity to defend life. We want to establish a humanitarian corridor and exert political pressure to end the genocide," Miljanović stressed.