Greta Thunberg prepares to depart for Gaza on the Madleen on a Freedom Flotilla Coalition mission, May 31. (X)
Documents seized by the IDF in Gaza reveal that Hamas had direct links to Sumud, the group backed by climate activist Greta Thunberg which has organized Gaza flotillas.
By World Israel News Staff
An anti-Israel international organization that has organized flotillas aimed at running the Israeli security blockade of the Gaza Strip has been funded by and maintained direct ties with the Hamas terror organization, Israel said Tuesday, citing Hamas documents seized in Gaza.
The explosive revelation was made by Israel’s Foreign Ministry Tuesday morning, pointing to internal Hamas memos found in the Gaza Strip that exposed the link between a Hamas front group overseas and Gaza flotillas organized to challenge the Israeli military.
The Foreign Ministry released two of the documents, including a 2021 memo by Ismail Haniyeh, then-head of the Hamas politburo, confirming Hamas’ ties to the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA).
Israel has previously accused the PCPA of operating as a Hamas front group — a claim the Foreign Ministry said was proven by the 2021 memo.
“The PCPA…was established in 2018 and functions as Hamas’ representative body abroad, operating de facto as Hamas’ embassies. The organization operates under the pretense of civilian cover and is responsible, on behalf of Hamas, for mobilizing actions against Israel, including violent demonstrations, marches against Israel, and demonstration and provocation flotillas,” the Foreign Ministry said.
The second Hamas document released by the Foreign Ministry includes a list of senior PCPA operatives, identifying Hamas members within the PCPA.
Aside from further bolstering the claim that the PCPA is an arm of Hamas, the document also identifies two key PCPA figures affiliated with Hamas who have played major roles in the Gaza flotillas, including those organized by the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) group.
GSF gained worldwide media attention in 2025 with multiple attempts to run the Israeli security blockade around Gaza and the involvement of high-profile anti-Israel activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Thunberg was tapped to serve on the GSF’s steering committee in mid-2025. Although Thunberg left the committee in September, she has continued to work together with the organization.
The Hamas operatives named in the second document include Zaher Birawi, founder and head of the European Palestinian Media Forum in London, a UK-based Hamas front group, and Saif Abu Kashk, a Palestinian activist in Spain.
Both Birawi and Abu Kashk are major figures involved in the flotilla movement.
Birawi has played a central role in organizing Gaza flotillas over the past 15 years, and Abu Kashk is the CEO of Cyber Neptune, a Spain-based front company that owns dozens of vessels used in anti-Israel flotillas.
Flotilla activists have organized multiple attempts to reach Gaza by sea in 2025, including voyages featuring dozens of vessels in August and September.
In June, a ship dubbed the Madleen attempted to force its way through the blockade but was intercepted by the Israeli navy and towed to Ashdod.
The activists, including Thunberg, were detained before being deported to their countries of origin.
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