JERUSALEM, Israel — Israeli authorities have dismissed Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg’s attempt to deliver aid to Gaza by sea as a “media provocation,” accusing her of using the humanitarian crisis for publicity.
Thunberg, along with a small group of activists, was aboard a yacht carrying what Israeli officials described as a symbolic quantity of aid — “less than a single truckload” — bound for the besieged Palestinian enclave.
The vessel was intercepted and redirected to Israel, where its passengers are expected to be sent back to their home countries.
“The ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the shores of Israel,” the Israeli government said in a statement Monday. “While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation… more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks.”
The “selfie yacht” of the “celebrities” is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries.While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included
The statement went further, suggesting the voyage was aimed more at generating social media attention than offering meaningful relief.
“There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies,” it read.
Officials said any remaining supplies from the yacht that were “not consumed by the ‘celebrities’” would be forwarded to Gaza through “real humanitarian channels.”
Thunberg has not yet responded publicly, but her participation in the effort had drawn international attention, with images and videos circulating online showing her boarding the vessel and calling for unfettered humanitarian access to Gaza.
The Israeli response underscores the growing tensions around international civilian-led efforts to deliver aid to Gaza, where humanitarian conditions have sharply deteriorated amid ongoing conflict and strict access controls.
Aid groups have long complained of excessive red tape and restrictions that limit the flow of food, medicine, and essential supplies to the population.
While Israel insists it is facilitating large-scale aid through official routes, critics argue the process remains slow, opaque, and vulnerable to political influence.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is affiliated with the Israeli government, says it has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in recent weeks.
Israel has also reported a surge in aid deliveries, but the UN and humanitarian agencies continue to warn of widespread hunger and displacement in the coastal strip.
Thunberg, who rose to global prominence for her climate activism, has increasingly used her platform to speak out on social justice and human rights issues.
Her attempt to sail aid to Gaza is the latest in a string of activist-led missions drawing both praise and controversy.
