The Italian Navy will send the ship ITS Vulcano (A 5335) to the Gaza Strip, the Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto announced today. The ship will depart from Civitavecchia, Italy, on November 8 with 170 military personnel on board, including 30 medical professionals.
After a stopover in Cyprus, the Vulcano will arrive in the waters off the Gaza Strip. The ship will carry a cargo of medical supplies and humanitarian aid.
The Vulcano will operate in coordination with the Red Cross and the Red Crescent. It will provide medical care to Palestinians in need, including those injured in the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Crosetto said that the decision to send the Vulcano to Gaza was made in consultation with the United States and the Palestinian Authority. He also said that Israel was informed of the mission and had no objections.