Climate activist Greta Thunberg has firmly addressed criticisms suggesting that her participation in a Gaza-bound flotilla is merely a publicity stunt. She asserted in a recent interview that individuals would not willingly put their lives at risk solely for the sake of gaining attention.
Thunberg is currently aboard one of 52 vessels comprising the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), a group sailing towards Gaza with the declared intention of delivering crucial humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population there. This initiative comes amidst ongoing international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with aid agencies reporting significant restrictions on supplies entering the territory.
The flotilla’s journey has not been without controversy. Israeli authorities have previously dismissed the GSF and similar maritime efforts, with one boat Thunberg traveled on in June being derisively labeled a “selfie yacht.” Responding to these remarks during an interview with the BBC, Thunberg stated, “I don’t think anyone would risk their life for a publicity stunt.”
Speaking from the Mediterranean Sea, Thunberg explained that the flotilla serves a dual purpose: it is both a humanitarian mission and a symbolic act of solidarity. She conveyed that it sends a message to the people of Gaza that “when our governments fail to step up, the people will step up.”
International aid organizations have frequently highlighted the challenges in delivering essential supplies like food and medicine to Gaza, attributing severe shortages to Israel’s “systematic obstruction” of aid, a claim Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vehemently denied as an “outright lie.” The United Nations has confirmed a famine in Gaza, directly linking it to these aid blockades.
Thunberg stated that the flotilla’s objective is to challenge what she described as Israel’s “illegal and inhumane siege on Gaza by sea,” referring to the Israeli military’s long-standing control over the waters bordering Gaza.
The flotilla has faced perilous situations, including suspected drone attacks. Earlier in the month, drones reportedly dropped unidentified objects onto boats near Tunisia. A subsequent suspected drone attack off the coast of Crete prompted Spain and Italy to dispatch naval ships to support the flotilla.
Thunberg criticized these actions, accusing Israeli officials of issuing “baseless threats” that contravene international law. She questioned the motive behind attacking a peaceful humanitarian mission aimed at aiding a population facing starvation.
Israel has not officially commented on the drone incidents but has previously stated its intention to prevent the flotilla from reaching its destination. Thunberg and eleven other activists were previously detained by Israeli authorities in June after their boat, carrying a small amount of aid, was intercepted en route to Gaza. She was subsequently deported to France after a day in detention.
