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Sailing to Gaza: Greta Thunberg’s Latest Anti-Israel Publicity Stunt
Police officers detain Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, during an Oily Money Out and Fossil Free London protest in London, Britain, October 17, 2023. Photo: Reuters/Toby Melville
Greta Thunberg is on her way to save the people of Gaza.
The 22-year-old Swedish climate crusader is one of 12 anti-Israel activists sailing to the Gaza Strip on the vessel Madleen, allegedly to bring aid to the embattled enclave and to challenge Israel’s naval blockade.
Even though the boat is still days away from reaching the coast, it is already making news due to the high-profile status of some of those onboard. Along with Thunberg are Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham, French politician Rima Hassan, and Al Jazeera journalist Omar Faiad.
As social media becomes inundated with images of the activists galivanting on the high seas and mainstream media outlets like the Associated Press, ABC Australia, and CBS News are beginning to report on the vessel’s “humanitarian mission,” it is important that news consumers understand why there is a blockade of the Gaza Strip and are aware of the sordid history of past attempts to break the blockade.
Greta Thunberg’s so-called “freedom flotilla” encapsulates the delusion and hypocrisy surrounding the Israel-Gaza war.
This isn’t a humanitarian mission—it’s a Mediterranean leisure cruise. Participants are smiling, swimming, and filming TikTok videos. This is self-serving… pic.twitter.com/eUzhsXW54r
— Maccabee Task Force (@MacTaskForce) June 3, 2025
The Blockade of Gaza: A Brief History
Following Hamas’ violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007, both Israel and Egypt restricted maritime traffic off the coast of Gaza to curb weapons smuggling by Hamas.
In 2008, Israel declared the Mediterranean Sea adjacent to Gaza a war zone, and reserved the right to inspect ships entering that area. Then, in 2009, Israel implemented a total naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Since the imposition of the naval blockade in 2009, there have been several incidents of the Israeli military intercepting ships carrying weapons bound for Hamas and other Gaza-based terror groups.
This includes the Victoria, which was intercepted in 2011 carrying 50 tons of Iranian weapons, the Klos-C, an Iranian arms ship that was seized in 2014, and a weapons-smuggling vessel disguised as a fishing boat that was intercepted in 2016.
Along with the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, there are also restrictions on the importing of goods through the land crossings between the Gaza Strip and both Israel and Egypt that are also meant to contain Hamas’ ability to bring in weapons and other goods intended for its terror infrastructure.
While the Israeli-Egyptian land and maritime blockade of Gaza might appear to be harsh, it is a legal necessity that provides basic necessities for the people of Gaza while also serving as a deterrent to Hamas’ terror campaign.
It should also be noted that, contrary to its depiction as such by some activists and journalists, the blockade of Gaza is not a “siege.” Aside from a brief two-month period (March-May 2025) during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, there have never been extended periods of time when food and other necessities were entirely barred from entering the Gaza Strip.
Attempts to Break the Blockade
For almost as long as the Gaza Strip blockade has existed, activists have attempted to break it, placing greater emphasis on public attention than actually bringing aid to the people of Gaza. Even in this current case of the Madleen, organizers have admitted that the limited amount of aid on the ship is “symbolic.”
The most famous attempt to break the blockade was in 2010, when Israeli forces intercepted a naval flotilla (led by the ship Mavi Marmara) as it attempted to reach the Gazan coast. After Israeli naval commandos boarded the lead ship, a violent confrontation broke out between the “peace activists” and the soldiers, resulting in the deaths of 10 Turkish activists and the wounding of several Israeli soldiers.
The Turkish organization that organized this flotilla, the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH), reportedly has ties to Hamas and was more focused on confronting the Israeli blockade than providing aid to the people of Gaza. The aid, which was offloaded in Israel, was later refused by the Hamas authorities in Gaza.
Now, 15 years later, the IHH continues to be involved with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which is sponsoring the latest blockade-breaking attempt by the Madleen.
As the publicity campaign around Greta Thunberg and the Madleen continues to gather steam, will the media provide their audience with a proper context for understanding Israel’s blockade of Gaza, or will this latest stunt merely serve as a lightning rod for false narratives and misleading information about Israel’s war against Hamas?
The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.
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French Official Tells Paper Arab Countries Will Condemn Hamas, Trying to Get Palestinian Statehood Recognized
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot speaks to the media on the day he attends the European Union Foreign Ministers council in Brussels, Belgium, July 15, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Yves Herman
Arab countries will for the first time condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament early next week at a United Nations ministerial event in New York, a move meant to lure more European countries to recognize Palestinian statehood, France’s foreign minister said on Saturday.
In an exclusive interview with French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot said the move was part of a long-planned initiative between France and Saudi Arabia.
“For the first time, Arab countries will condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament, which will seal its definitive isolation. European countries will in turn confirm their intention to recognize the State of Palestine. Half of European countries have done so, all others are considering it,” Barrot told the JDD.
“The British Prime Minister has stated his intention to do so. Germany is considering it at a later stage. We will launch an appeal in New York for other countries to join us in order to set in motion an even more ambitious and demanding process that will culminate on September 21,” Barrot added.
On Thursday French President Emmanuel Macron announced France would formally recognize the state of Palestine at the U.N. General Assembly on September 21, drawing condemnation from the U.S. and Israel.
Earlier on Saturday Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni called it counterproductive to recognize a Palestinian state before it is established.
On Friday a German government spokesperson said there were no plans to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.
At the upcoming United Nations event on Monday and Tuesday, France and Saudi Arabia plan to lay out a proposed post-war roadmap leading to a two-state solution covering security, reconstruction and governance, which will be compatible with the Abraham Accords negotiated by US President Trump, Barrot said.
The French minister added that in coming weeks the European Commission would take a tougher stance on Israel and demand a stop on building of any new settlement projects in the West Bank, and also an end to militarized policing of humanitarian aid distribution.
Barrot also called on fellow European countries to demand a removal of the financial blockade on the Palestinian authority so it can receive 2 billion euros he said it is owed.
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Jordan and UAE Drop Aid Into Gaza in First Airdrop in Months, Jordanian Source Says
An airplane drops humanitarian aid over Gaza as seen from northern Gaza Strip July 27, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Jordan and the United Arab Emirates parachuted 25 tons of aid into the Gaza Strip on Sunday in their first airdrop in months, a Jordanian official source said.
The official said the air drops were not a substitute for delivery by land.
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Trump Says Israel Will Have to Decide on Next Steps in Gaza, Pledges More Aid
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 8, 2025. Photo: Kevin Lamarque via Reuters Connect.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday Israel would have to make a decision on next steps in Gaza, adding that he did not know what would happen after the collapse of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with the Hamas terrorist group.
Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, saying they had suddenly “hardened” up on the issue, and said the US would provide more aid to the war-torn Palestinian enclave.
“They don’t want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision,” Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at his golf property in Turnberry, Scotland.
“I know what I’d do, but I don’t think it’s appropriate that I say it. But Israel is going to have to make a decision,” he said, while also claiming, without evidence, that Hamas members were stealing food coming into Gaza and selling it.
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both appeared on Friday to abandon Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, saying it had become clear that the Palestinian group did not want a deal.
Netanyahu said Israel was now mulling “alternative” options to achieve its goals of bringing its hostages home from Gaza and ending Hamas rule in the enclave.
Trump said he believed Hamas leaders would now be “hunted down,” telling reporters: “Hamas really didn’t want to make a deal. I think they want to die. And it’s very bad. And it got to be to a point where you’re going to have to finish the job.”
US TO PROVIDE MORE AID, TRUMP SAYS
Trump on Sunday said the US would provide more humanitarian aid to Gaza, where concerns are mounting about the worsening hunger, but wanted other countries to participate as well. He said he would discuss the issue with von der Leyen.
“We’re giving a lot of money, a lot of food, a lot of everything,” he said. “If we weren’t there, I think people would have starved, frankly. They would have starved, and it’s not like they’re eating well.”
He said he had spoken with Netanyahu and discussed a number of issues, including Iran. He said and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer would also discuss Israel when they meet at Trump’s golf property in Turnberry on Monday.
Trump also noted said the United States was not acknowledged for earlier food aid for Gaza.
“No other country gave anything,” he said, calling out European countries in particular. “It makes you feel a little bad when you do that and, you know, you have other countries not giving anything… Nobody gave but us. And nobody said, Gee, thank you very much. And it would be nice to have at least a thank you.”
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