What was meant to be a humanitarian mission delivering aid to Gaza has sparked fresh controversy.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, led in part by climate activist Greta Thunberg, has drawn attention not just for its goals but for the people behind it and their connections overseas.
Steering Committee Faces Scrutiny
Wael Nawar, a spokesperson for the flotilla, was photographed grinning and giving a Churchill-style ‘victory’ sign alongside a Hamas chief in Algeria just weeks before the fleet set sail.
Draped in a scarf bearing the emblem of the terror group, Nawar was pictured with Youssef Hamdan, the head of Hamas’s North African operations, during a June meeting.
Nawar is part of a 13-member steering committee orchestrating the flotilla.
Others include Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Marouan Ben Guettaia—who was also seen with Hamdan shortly after Nawar—and Brazilian Thiago Avila, who attended Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s funeral in Beirut earlier this year and described him as an “inspiration.”
Raising Questions About Connections
Photos obtained by The Mail on Sunday highlight the paradox of a mission promoting the “sanctity of human life” while its organisers have been hosted by a group responsible for the October 7 attacks that killed nearly 1,200 people and kidnapped over 250.
Facebook posts from Nawar’s June 23 visit celebrated Hamas figures, including Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed by Israel last year.
Hamdan, who represents Hamas in Algerian media, openly declared on Arabic state radio that the terror group would “use the language the enemy understands—the language of fighting” following the October attacks.
Non-Violent Claims Under the Spotlight
Despite these revelations, all steering committee members maintain that they stand for “human dignity and the power of non-violent action.”
The fleet of 20 boats, which departed Barcelona this week, reportedly carried committee members alongside Thunberg.
Demonstrations and Arrests in London
The flotilla news comes amid heightened activism in the UK.
More than 300 Palestine Action supporters were arrested in London during protests that turned confrontational.
Over 1,500 demonstrators gathered at Parliament Square, intentionally carrying placards linked to an outlawed organisation, prompting police to report “exceptional levels of abuse” including punches, kicks, spitting, and objects thrown at officers.
A Complex Mission Amid Global Tensions
What started as a humanitarian aid effort has now become entangled in international controversy.
The flotilla’s connections to figures linked with Hamas and Hezbollah, coupled with domestic protests, underline the complexities and sensitivities surrounding activism in conflict zones.