A Facebook post suggested that the saga should be titled “The Perils of Greta,” but the Israeli Foreign Ministry came up with “Much Ado About Nothing.”
The bare facts of the matter are that as a ship carrying a cargo of activists, including eco-warrior Greta Thunberg, approached Gaza, it was stopped from going any further by Israeli forces, as noted by CNN.
At that point, a pre-recorded message was posted on Facebook.
“If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel,” Thunberg said in the video.
As might be expected, the activists and the Israeli government disputed most of what happened, with the activists saying food and medical supplies were confiscated while Israel said they were taken to be delivered through normal channels.
Pushing the panic narrative, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition — which sponsored the ship’s cruise — issued statements saying that the ship was “under assault in international waters” and that “Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white paint-like substance. Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio.”
The Israeli Foreign Ministry then launched a barrage of social media posts intended to deflate the hyperbole.
“With recent reports of a ‘celebrities yacht’ heading to Gaza, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to clarify the following: The maritime zone off the coast of Gaza is closed to unauthorized vessels under a legal naval blockade, consistent with international law,” a post on X from the ministry said.
“The yacht is claiming that it is delivering humanitarian aid. In fact, it is a media gimmick for publicity (which includes less than a single truckload of aid) – a ‘selfie yacht,’” it posted.
Did Israel handle this situation well?
The post noted that feeding Gaza civilians is serious business that Israel has been addressing.
“Humanitarian aid is delivered regularly and effectively via different channels and routes, and is transferred through established distribution mechanisms. Over the past two weeks, more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza,” the post said.
“The Gaza maritime zone remains an active conflict area, and Hamas has previously exploited sea routes for terrorist attacks, including the October 7th massacre. Unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts. We call on all actors to act responsibly and to channel humanitarian aid through legitimate, coordinated mechanisms, not through provocation,” the post continued.
All the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over. pic.twitter.com/tLZZYcspJO
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025
After this ship had been stopped and all aboard evacuated, the ministry posted, “All the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over.”
The ministry later posted a picture of Thunberg, saying, “Greta Thunberg is currently on her way to Israel, safe and in good spirits.”
But the ministry was not content to end the drama there.
Greta Thunberg is currently on her way to Israel, safe and in good spirits. pic.twitter.com/pjWSr0lOsE
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025
“The ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the shores of Israel,” the ministry posted on X.
“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 less than a single truckload of aid — more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks, and in addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza,” the ministry wrote.
“There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies. The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the ‘celebrities’ will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels.”
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