Environmental activist Gita Thangberg and 11 other activists were riding on the ship who left for Gaza from Catania port in Sicily, Italy on 1 June. On June 7, when the ship reached the coast of Egypt, the Israeli army surrounded the ship at around 2 pm. Swedish activist Greta Thangberg, European Parliament member Reema Hasan and actor Liam Cunningham were also on the ship. The FFC said that the purpose of the mission was to highlight the ongoing human crisis in Gaza and deliver the necessary relief materials. The group also reported that another similar ship, Conscience, was attacked by a drone in May, which he accused Israel.
Not a human mission, but a gimmick of publicity
In a video, Thangberg said, “If you are watching this video, we have been kidnapped by Israeli or their supporting forces.” The Israeli Foreign Ministry justified the operation by saying that the maritime area is restricted near the coast of Gaza. The ministry spokesman said, “It is not a human mission, but a manner of publicity.” He had less than 100 pounds of relief material, while Israel has provided more than 1,200 trucks in Gaza in the last two weeks. The ministry termed the ship as a selfie boat of celebrities and said that its purpose was only to get publicity.
Gaza’s naval blockade since 2007
Although Israel has allowed limited assistance, support organizations say Gaza is still on the verge of famine. The situation cannot be expected to improve until the blockade is completely removed and the military operations are closed. It is worth noting that there are still more than 50 Israeli hostage in Hamas’s possession in Gaza. Israel has installed naval blockade on Gaza since 2007, aimed at stopping the supply of weapons there.
Who is Gita Thangberg?
Gita Thangberg is a Swedish environmental activist who runs a global campaign against climate change. Born on 3 January 2003 in Stockholm, Sweden, Gita Thangberg started the “Friday for Future” movement in 2018 at the age of 15. The 15 -year -old girl’s performance against climate change outside the Swedish Parliament was called a “school strike for climate”.
The Greta strike inspired millions of youths around the world, leading to massive demonstrations against climate change. At the 2019 United Nations Climate Summit, his “How Dare You?” The speech attracted global attention, where he criticized the world leaders for not taking the climate crisis seriously. He was named the “Person of the Year” of the 2019 Time Magazine and has been nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize.
