Huge crowds gathered at Tunisia's port on Sunday to welcome Greta Thunberg as her aid flotilla, bound for Gaza, docked at the port. The Swedish climate activist is travelling with 350 pro-Palestinian activists on boats stocked with aid that they hope to deliver to Palestinians in Gaza.
Pictures from the Sidi Bou Said port show hordes of people surrounding the 22-year-old as she addressed the crowd. We all know why we are here, she said, referencing the humanitarian crisis. Just across the water there's a genocide going on, a mass starvation by Israel's murder machine. Israel has denied these claims, attributing hunger in Gaza to Hamas and aid agency failures.
Last month, a UN organization confirmed the dire famine conditions within Gaza and criticized Israel for obstructing aid. Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament, echoed Thunberg's sentiments at the port, stating that the Palestinian cause resides in the hearts of people globally.
The flotilla aims to break Israel's siege on Gaza, although past attempts, such as one in June, were halted by Israeli forces. This latest voyage, which began on Monday from Barcelona, will see the group stay in Tunisia for a few days before continuing toward Gaza. Organizers announced that additional aid would be loaded, and a Tunisian team would join them for the next leg of their mission.
Thunberg's prior attempts to deliver aid have been criticized by Israeli officials, who consider them publicity stunts. In response to international pressure, Israel recently eased its blockade, allowing limited aid into Gaza.
