Greta Thunberg on a dangerous mission: danger of arrest in the Gaza Strip!

Greta Thunberg on a dangerous mission: danger of arrest in the Gaza Strip!

The Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and eleven colleagues set sail from Catania in Sicily on Sunday on the ship Madleen to bring relief supplies to the Gaza Strip. The mission has proven extremely sensitive as Israeli security forces have decided that the ship will not be allowed to approach Hamas-controlled coastal areas. The decision was made to avoid setting a precedent after initially considering a landing in the disputed area.

In addition to Thunberg, German activist Yasemin Acar, Irish actor Liam Cunningham and other prominent supporters such as Susan Sarandon and Melissa Barrera are also on board. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organizes the mission, emphasizes that the Madleen is only sailing through international waters and poses no threat.

Humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip

The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is critical. Food and medicine have run out and the population is facing an acute shortage of food. The Gaza war has already claimed more than 50,000 lives and despair among those living there is growing. Thunberg and her colleagues have set themselves the goal of “breaking Israel’s illegal siege of Gaza” and creating a maritime corridor for humanitarian goods.

However, the activists, including Thunberg and Acar, could be arrested if the ship is stopped. Defense Minister Israel Katz and high-ranking military representatives are expected to decide on how to proceed on Thursday. Possible scenarios include the ship being sent back to the open sea or escorted to the port of Ashdod, where arrests could be threatened.

Criticism of Israel's policies

Thunberg has been critical of Israel's actions in the past, describing its actions as genocide. Her clear words have led to calls in Germany for an entry ban for the activist. It has so far been denied landing in the Gaza Strip, bringing additional attention and increased public debate to its mission.

In addition to the challenges Thunberg faces, the current situation in the region is tense. The Israeli army recently killed the leader of the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades in the Gaza Strip, Asad Abu Sharia. He was previously directly involved in the kidnapping and murder of German citizen Schiri Bibas and her two young sons.

These developments shed sharp light on the complex and dangerous situation in Gaza, where activists like Thunberg are trying to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis while military operations and political tensions continue to simmer in the background.

The situation remains tense for the activists on board the Madleen. The Israeli military leadership's upcoming decisions will determine whether this missionary journey ends before it truly begins.

You can find more information on this topic at Mercury and FAZ.