Pro-Palestinian activist Greta Thunberg announces new Gaza flotilla

Swedish-born climate and pro-Palestinian activist Greta Thunberg announced on Monday that she and her colleagues intend to launch a new large international flotilla to “break Israel’s siege” on Gaza.

The flotilla is scheduled to depart from Spain on Aug. 31 and will reportedly be joined by dozens of additional vessels from Tunisia and other unnamed countries on Sept. 4, forming a coordinated maritime protest against Israel.

“We are sailing again to break the siege, and this time we’re sailing with dozens of boats and coordinated mobilizations from 44 countries around the world,” Thunberg and other activists revealed in a video message. They said the upcoming flotilla would become “the biggest international solidarity effort ever since Israel implemented its horrific siege 18 years ago.”

In 2005, Israel withdrew unilaterally from Gaza in an effort to promote peace in the region. Two years later, in 2007, the terrorist group Hamas seized control of Gaza from the rival Fatah party in a violent takeover. Following this, Hamas began launching rocket attacks on Israeli towns and civilian communities. In response, Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons and rearming its fighters. Despite the blockade, Israel has continued to facilitate large shipments of humanitarian aid into the territory.

The anti-Israel activists declared that they aim to stop the “genocide” in Gaza.

“The genocide against Palestinians in Gaza has been escalating for 22 months,” Thunberg and her anti-Israel activist colleagues stated in the video. “Israel has dropped the equivalent of eight atomic bombs on men, women and children. Hospitals, shelters, schools and homes completely destroyed. We cannot stand by while this continues.” On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise invasion in southern Israel, deliberately massacring men, women and children while using Gazan civilians as human shields – a double war crime under international law.

Just two months ago, Thunberg joined an anti-Israel flotilla aboard the vessel Madleen, the stated aim of which was to “break the Israeli blockade” of Gaza. Thunberg, who has a large following on social media, said she felt compelled “as a human” to act in order to stop what she described as a “genocide” in Gaza.

“Just being human, seeing the footage from Gaza, hearing the reports and feeling that I need to do something, whatever that is,” Thunberg said in June. “And for some reason, I have a platform, and if I can use that platform, for example, being on this boat and amplifying the Palestinian cause, then of course I have to do that. Because I care about justice and because … I cannot just sit around and watch this genocide happening without doing something."

The Israeli Navy intercepted the vessel with Thunberg and the other activists, all of whom were eventually deported from Israel. The Foreign Ministry dismissed the flotilla as “the celebrities’ yacht” and blasted Thunberg for seeking publicity instead of taking practical action to improve the Palestinians in Gaza.

“...It is a media gimmick for publicity (which includes less than a single truckload of aid) – a ‘selfie yacht.’ Humanitarian aid is delivered regularly and effectively via different channels and routes,” the Foreign Ministry stated.

Following her deportation from Israel, Thunberg claimed she and her colleagues were “kidnapped” by Israel.

“We were 12 peaceful volunteers sailing on a civilian ship carrying humanitarian aid on international waters. We did not break laws. We did nothing wrong,” she added.