Greta Thunberg has said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is legally obliged to stop the Israeli regime’s ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
‘Starmer has a legal duty to stop the Gaza genocide,’ the climate change activist said in an interview aboard the Gaza-bound aid flotilla which is aiming to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of dozens of boats, is carrying humanitarian aid, including food, water, baby formula, medical supplies, and medicine, hoping to deliver this to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip in about a week’s time.
Boats carrying participants from 44 countries are sailing to Gaza to break the Israeli blockade and demand justice despite serious threats.
Swedish activist Thunberg said there is a ‘huge absence of those whose legal responsibility it is to step up’ under international law, and called out the British Prime Minister before a potential meeting tomorrow (Wednesday 10th) with the Israeli president Isaac Herzog.
‘It is upon the British PM to take action,’ Thunberg said. ‘It’s his legal duty to act to prevent a genocide.’
In a warning message to Starmer, who has been urged by his own MPs not to meet with Herzog, Thunberg said: ‘The words we will use to describe people who are standing on the wrong side of history, supporting or committing war crimes, those words do not exist yet, those slurs do not exist yet, but we will be using them towards people like Starmer.’
Politicians in the north of Ireland, Scotland and Wales have called on Starmer to impose ‘immediate’ sanctions on Israel and end arms sales to the regime over its genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Thunberg pointed out that people from all around the globe are gaining awareness and ‘waking up’ to what’s really happening to the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Some people had not known before what was going on in Gaza, but ‘we no longer have the privilege to say that we weren’t aware because we are seeing this coming out of Gaza every single day of children being starved, parents looking for the missing body parts of their children under the rubble,’ she said.
‘Anyone who has any sense of humanity and common sense can see that there is absolutely, absolutely no justification for any of this, no matter what absurdly fabricated arguments Israel is using to continue the ongoing genocidal war against the people in Gaza,’ she added.
Thunberg, who has been nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize for her climate activism, said: ‘I think it’s been very clear in the words and actions of people all over the world that there is worldwide support for this (movement).’
The Global Sumud Flotilla, aimed at breaking the Israeli blockade on Gaza, arrived off the coast of Tunisia on Sunday evening, where participants and representatives from 44 countries welcomed its arrival at the Port of Sidi Bou Said, ahead of its planned departure to the besieged Palestinian enclave, despite threats from the Israeli occupation.
Satellite tracking platforms confirmed that the Flotilla reached Tunisian waters late on Sunday where huge crowds gathered to welcome it as it docked.
Pictures from Sidi Bou Said port show hordes of people surrounding 22-year-old Thunberg as she addressed the crowd.
Also joining this humanitarian mission is Mandla Mandela, grandson of former South African President Nelson Mandela, who emphatically stated: ‘We should not fear threats.
‘We will understand the real problems in this world, which we must ensure we can address together,’ because, he continued, ‘in this day and age, we cannot allow colonialism and genocide to continue.
‘I look forward to arriving and meeting my brothers and sisters in Gaza. But most importantly, my children have said: “Dad, when you arrive in Gaza, please give the Palestinian children our love and a big hug.” ‘They hope to see and meet the Palestinian children in person,’ he said.
Similarly, Ahmad Juwaini, Chairman of Indonesian aid organisation Dompet Dhuafa, who was also present at the humanitarian rally, stated: ‘This afternoon, many representatives from various countries welcomed and expressed their humanitarian support for the arrival of the Global Sumud Flotilla ships.
‘Following this, the humanitarian team, representing these countries, including Indonesia, departed from the Port of Tunis for Gaza in the spirit of Palestinian liberation.
‘This international action with the Global Sumud Flotilla carries an international advocacy mission to break the decades-long blockade of Gaza.
‘With the involvement of 44 countries and 72 ships, this movement is expected to become a symbol of global unity against the injustice and genocide experienced by the Palestinian people.’
The Flotilla, initially consisting of nearly 20 vessels, departed from the port of Barcelona, Spain, last Monday.
However, severe weather and strong winds forced the ships to temporarily return to port on Sunday.
The convoy has since resumed its mission to challenge the Israeli-imposed blockade on Gaza, which has lasted more than 18 years.
The effort is being led by a coalition of groups, including the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Global Gaza Movement, the Sumud Convoy, and Sumud Nusantara from Malaysia.
The Flotilla carries thousands of activists from 44 countries and is now preparing for its next leg from Tunisia on Thursday.
Participants say they are prepared for a range of possible scenarios during their maritime journey, acknowledging that Israel may attempt to block or disrupt the mission using various means, including force.
However, activists remain resolute, stating that no threat or escalation will deter them from completing their voyage.
They emphasise that the Gaza blockade is no longer solely a Palestinian issue but rather a global moral crisis that demands broad humanitarian engagement.
The Global Sumud Flotilla has strongly condemned recent threats made by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir against the participating ships and activists.
In a statement issued last Friday, the Flotilla said Ben-Gvir’s remarks were ‘an attempt to intimidate participants and falsely label them as terrorists,’ calling it a blatant violation of international law and the Geneva Conventions.
‘We all know why we are here,’ the Flotilla statement declared.
‘Just across the water there’s a genocide going on, a mass starvation by Israel’s murder machine.’
Israel has repeatedly denied that there is starvation in Gaza and has blamed any hunger on Hamas and aid agency failures.
Last month, a United Nations-backed body confirmed that there was famine in the territory and the UN’s humanitarian chief said it was the direct result of Israel’s ‘systematic obstruction’ of aid entering Gaza.
French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan was also at the port.
‘The Palestinian cause is not in the hands of governments today. It is in the hearts of peoples everywhere,’ she said.
Flotilla organisers have said that the aim of their mission is to ‘break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza’, but the trip has not always been smooth sailing – a previous attempt in June was intercepted by Israeli forces.
This latest attempt started last Monday, when the flotilla of about 20 vessels set sail from Barcelona.
The group will now stay in Tunisia for a few days, before resuming the journey to Gaza.
‘The flotilla ships bound for Gaza that have reached Sidi Bou Said port in Tunisia, will be expanded, loaded with additional aid, and joined by the Tunisian team for the next stage of the mission,’ the collective group of activists declared.