‘The Show Is Over’: Gaza-Bound Activist Vessel Redirected to Israel, GHF Pilots New Aid Delivery Initiative

Latest Developments

IDF Redirects Vessel Set for Gaza: Israeli naval forces intercepted and redirected a Gaza-bound vessel called the “Madleen” on June 9, which was carrying several international activists, including prominent climate activist Greta Thunberg, and a small amount of humanitarian aid. The vessel, chartered by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was on its way to breach the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza, whose purpose, according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, was primarily to “prevent the transfer of weapons to Hamas.” The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated following the incident that “all the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’” were “safe and unharmed” and “were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over.”
Israel to Show October 7 Footage to Activists: Katz stated that he had instructed the IDF to present footage of the October 7 atrocities to the activists before their release back to their home countries. “It is appropriate that the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas supporters see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organization they come to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself,” he said. Israel noted that the “tiny amount” of humanitarian aid onboard the vessel “that wasn’t consumed by the ‘celebrities’” would be transferred to the Gaza Strip through proper channels.
GHF Begins Aid Deliveries to Community Leaders: The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announced on June 8 that it had delivered aid to several community leaders in Rafah who would distribute the supplies to civilians, part of a new initiative to provide humanitarian goods directly to Gazans. Until now, the GHF has operated designated “Safe Distribution Sites,” where civilians can travel to receive packages of supplies. “We will be reviewing the operations and determining if it is a viable option moving forward,” the GHF said, adding that the organization remains “flexible and will continue to adapt distributions based on conditions on the ground, including road access, crowd pressure, and safety considerations.” The GHF stated that it was unable to distribute aid on June 7 due to Hamas’s threats to its personnel, marking the second time in a week that the organization had to completely shut down its operations.

FDD Expert Response

“This publicity stunt is nothing more than self-promotion on the ocean. Ironically, the activists set out knowing they would be safe under Israel’s rule of law and respect for human rights. But perhaps the trip was educational for the cruisers who will now know which sea they are referring to when they advocate for the annihilation of the Jewish state ‘from the river to the sea.’” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst

“Hamas is actively working to disrupt the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s aid operations because the initiative operates independently of its control and represents a direct challenge to its authority in Gaza. As the GHF explores alternative methods to deliver aid to Palestinians, Hamas will undoubtedly seek ways to thwart it. In Hamas’s view, it cannot risk allowing an external actor such as the GHF to undermine its authority, as doing so could embolden broader dissent within the Palestinian population.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

“Instead of the international incident they had hoped to provoke, Greta and company got a well-executed, calm operation by the IDF — and even received free sandwiches for their troubles. Israel’s goal now is for the activists-turned-sailors to grasp the full barbarity of the terrorist organizations Israel continues to fight against, and screening October 7 footage before their release is a smart and measured move to say ‘bon voyage.’” — Aaron Goren, Research Analyst and Editor