Revealed: Hamas-Linked Operative Behind Thunberg’s Gaza Flotilla Campaign

A shocking investigation revealed that Greta Thunberg’s failed attempt to breach Israel’s Gaza blockade was orchestrated by Zaher Birawi, a 63-year-old British figure designated by Israeli intelligence as a Hamas terrorist operative. Birawi, a founding member of the Freedom Flotilla International Coalition, funded the Madleen vessel, which carried Thunberg and 11 other activists before being intercepted by the Israeli Navy on June 9, 2025, and towed to Ashdod Port.

Birawi livestreamed the ship’s departure from Sicily, lauding the activists’ “courage” and describing the mission as “a message of solidarity with Gaza, a message of defiance and determination to continue.” The stunt, carrying just two boxes of symbolic aid, disrupted delicate hostage talks involving the remaining 55 captives held by Hamas since its October 7, 2023, attack.

Birawi, who chairs the London-based EuroPal Forum, has documented ties to Hamas leadership, including a 2012 photo with former Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, eliminated by Israel in Tehran in 2024. Israel labeled Birawi a Hamas operative in 2013 and designated EuroPal Forum a terrorist entity in 2021. Despite this, Birawi has promoted Labour Party causes, campaigned for antisemite Jeremy Corbyn, and hosted a 2019 London event titled “Understanding Hamas.” In October 2023, Labour MP Christian Wakeford named him in Parliament as “a Hamas operative living in Barnet, north London,” noting his role as a trustee of the UK charity Education Aid for Palestinians.

Birawi denies terrorism allegations, stating, “I have never been involved in any illegal acts,” and claiming, “The Israeli government classified me and others who organized the Gaza Freedom Flotilla as terrorists. They considered this human rights activism to be terrorism.” His legal victory against a 2021 terrorism watchlist listing bolsters his defense. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s history, including the 2010 Mavi Marmara clash that killed nine activists, underscores its provocative tactics. Israel’s blockade, aimed at stopping Hamas’s weapon smuggling, remains critical as Gaza’s 2 million residents endure a crisis worsened by Hamas’s aid theft and tunnel network.