Web Desk

At the Wall Street Journal&#39;s Innovator Awards, Billie Eilish delivered a stark challenge to the wealthy elite, asking pointedly, &quot;If you&#39;re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?&quot; Her words came moments after announcing an $11.5 million donation from her tour to support climate justice and food equity, crystallizing a generational divide that goes far beyond celebrity posturing. The contrast between Eilish and Taylor Swift epitomizes this divide. While Eilish designs sustainable tours with plant-based catering and biodegradable confetti, Swift&#39;s private jet logged 170 flights in 2022, generating an estimated 8,300 tonnes of CO2 emissions, roughly 1,200 times the average person&#39;s annual carbon footprint. A single flight from Tokyo to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl emitted 40 tonnes of carbon, with her Eras Tour generating 139 metric tonnes during its US and South American legs. Swift&#39;s representatives argue that she purchases more than twice the number of carbon credits needed to offset her travel. But climate experts repeatedly note that carbon offsets are fundamentally flawed &mdash; often unverifiable, sometimes fraudulent, and incapable of undoing atmospheric damage. The only real solution, they insist, is to simply fly less. This isn&#39;t merely a celebrity spat, but a broader generational reckoning about wealth, responsibility, and planetary survival. Eilish, born in 2001, represents a generation that experiences climate anxiety as background noise. This cohort watched Greta Thunberg sail across the Atlantic rather than fly, viewing sustainability not as a brand, but as an existential necessity. Swift, born in 1989, comes from an era when private jets were status symbols, not sources of shame. The underlying issue cuts deeper than individual carbon footprints. It&#39;s about a system that allows extreme wealth accumulation while the planet suffers. Eilish&#39;s generation increasingly sees through the performative gestures of wealthy individuals &mdash; understanding that no one truly needs a billion dollars and that such wealth could solve massive global problems rather than fund private jet junkets. Celebrity behavior shapes cultural norms, and when Swift flies private for convenience, she normalizes a fundamentally unsustainable lifestyle. When Eilish questions the very existence of billionaires, she challenges the premise that extreme wealth accumulation is morally neutral. The climate crisis demands more than individual action; it requires a complete reimagining of societal values. Carbon offsetting has become the refuge of wealthy polluters, a corporate indulgence that allows the rich to buy the right to pollute while the poor suffer the consequences of a warming planet they did little to create. Eilish&#39;s approach differs dramatically: Her tour sustainability measures are systematic, not performative, acknowledging that having a massive platform comes with a responsibility to minimize harm. The uncomfortable truth remains: The planet is burning. Some are trying to put out the fire, while others are adding fuel and calling it innovation. When Eilish asks why billionaires exist, she&#39;s articulating what her generation increasingly takes for granted: Extreme wealth is indefensible when the planet is in crisis. Swift could choose differently. She could tour sustainably, fly commercial, or simply fly less. She could donate a fraction of her estimated $1.6 billion net worth to climate causes. Instead, she buys carbon credits and sends cease-and-desist letters to students tracking her flights. Meanwhile, Eilish keeps asking the questions no one in that room of billionaires wants to answer. And the planet keeps burning.

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Billie Eilish challenges billionaire wealth and celebrity hypocrisy on climate action, contrasting her sustainable, charitable approach with Taylor Swift’s heavy private jet emissions and questionable carbon offsets.

Two generations, one planet: Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift's divergent climate paths

MADRID: Israel has released the five remaining Spanish detainees from flotillas it blocked while they were carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists to devastated Gaza, sources at Spain&#39;s foreign ministry said on Sunday. Israel has this month intercepted in international waters two flotillas aiming to break its blockade of Gaza, where the United Nations has declared a famine after two years of brutal conflict. Israel arrested the crews, with Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg among the dozens of activists of various nationalities, sparking huge protests in Europe. Israel has been releasing them over recent days, with Spanish foreign ministry sources saying: &quot;The last five members of the flotilla held by Israel are now on their way to Spain.&quot; Among them is a member of the first flotilla who was not included in a first wave of releases after allegedly biting an Israeli prison officer. &quot;There are no more Spaniards from the flotilla detained in Israel,&quot; the ministry sources added. Almost 50 other Spanish flotilla members had returned home during the past week. The activists have complained of mistreatment during their detention in Israel. Israeli authorities have denied the allegations.

Pro-Palestinian supporters wave flags as they wait for the arrival of South African activists at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park

Europe

Middle East

Israel released the last five detained Spanish flotilla members aiming to break Gaza’s blockade, ending Spain’s detentions amid protests and claims of mistreatment.

Spain says Israel frees its last Gaza flotilla members

<p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;" id="isPasted">JERUSALEM: Israel said it deported on Monday 171 more activists who were detained while taking part in an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.<p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> <p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The foreign ministry said in a post on X that &quot;171 additional provocateurs from the Hamas-Sumud flotilla, including Greta Thunberg, were deported today from Israel to Greece and Slovakia&quot;.<p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> <p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">It added that the deportees were citizens of several countries, including Greece, Italy, France and the United States.<p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> <p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Photos shared with the post showed Thunberg alongside two other women walking through Tel Aviv&#39;s Ben Gurion International Airport wearing the grey tracksuits used in Israeli prisons.<p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> <p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The Israeli foreign ministry told AFP that 138 activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla were still in Israeli custody.<p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> <p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The 45-vessel flotilla had been aiming to break an Israeli blockade to deliver aid to Gaza, where the United Nations says famine has taken hold after two years of devastating conflict.<p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> <p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Israel started intercepting the flotilla vessels in international waters on Wednesday. An Israeli official said on Thursday that boats with more than 400 people on board had been prevented from reaching the Palestinian territory.<p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> <p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">International activists who arrived in Istanbul after being deported from Israel said on Saturday they had been subjected to violence and &quot;treated like animals&quot;.<p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> <p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">In its post on X on Monday, Israel&#39;s foreign ministry said that &quot;all the legal rights of the participants in this PR stunt were and will continue to be fully upheld.&quot;<p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> <p style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&quot;The lies they are spreading are part of their pre-planned fake news campaign,&quot; it added.

 Israel said it deported 171 more activists who were detained while taking part in an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.

Israel deports Greta Thunberg, 170 others from Gaza flotilla

ANKARA/ROME: Some 137 activists detained by Israel for taking part in a flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza arrived in Turkey on Saturday after being deported, with two alleging that Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg was mistreated during her detention. Israel did not immediately comment on the new allegations, but its foreign ministry earlier described reports that detainees had been mistreated as &ldquo;complete lies.&rdquo; The activists who landed at Istanbul Airport included 36 Turkish nationals, as well as citizens from the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia, and Jordan, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources. Thunberg &lsquo;treated terribly,&rsquo; activist allegesTwo of them, Hazwani Helmi, a Malaysian citizen, and Windfield Beaver, an American citizen, told Reuters at the airport that they had witnessed Thunberg being mistreated, saying she was shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag. &ldquo;It was a disaster. They treated us like animals,&rdquo; said Helmi, 28, adding that detainees were not provided with clean food or water and that medication and belongings were confiscated. Beaver, 43, said Thunberg was &ldquo;treated terribly&rdquo; and &ldquo;used as propaganda,&rdquo; describing how she was pushed into a room as Israel&rsquo;s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived. Israel has faced international condemnation after its military intercepted about 40 boats in a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza and detained more than 450 activists. Its foreign ministry wrote on X that all detained activists were &ldquo;safe and in good health,&rdquo; adding it was keen to complete the remaining deportations &ldquo;as quickly as possible.&rdquo; In a separate X post, it accused some flotilla members of &ldquo;deliberately obstructing&rdquo; the deportation process, without providing evidence. Reuters was unable to verify the allegation independently. Israel denies allegations of mistreatmentItaly&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said 26 Italians were on board the Turkish Airlines flight, with another 15 still held in Israel and set to be expelled over the next few days, along with activists from other nations. &ldquo;I have once again given instructions to the Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv to ensure that the remaining compatriots are treated with respect for their rights,&rdquo; Tajani wrote on X. A first group of Italians from the flotilla &mdash; four parliamentarians &mdash; arrived in Rome on Friday. &ldquo;Those who were acting legally were the people aboard those boats; those who acted illegally were those who prevented them from reaching Gaza,&rdquo; Arturo Scotto, one of the Italian lawmakers who took part in the mission, told a press conference in Rome. &ldquo;We were brutally stopped ... brutally taken hostage,&rdquo; said Benedetta Scuderi, another Italian parliamentarian. According to Adalah, an Israeli group offering legal assistance to flotilla members, some detainees were denied access to lawyers, water, medication, and toilets. They were also &ldquo;forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for at least five hours after some participants chanted &lsquo;Free Palestine,&rsquo;&rdquo; Adalah said. Israel denied the allegations. &ldquo;All of Adalah&rsquo;s claims are complete lies. Of course, all detainees were given access to water, food, and restrooms; they were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights were fully upheld,&rdquo; a foreign ministry spokesperson told Reuters. The flotilla, which set sail in late August, marked the latest attempt by activists to challenge the Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, where Israel has been waging a war since the Palestinian militant group Hamas&rsquo;s deadly attack on Israel in October 2023. Israeli officials repeatedly denounced the mission as a stunt and warned it against violating a &ldquo;lawful naval blockade.&rdquo;

Halil Rifat Canakci of Turkey, one of the activists who were sailing aboard vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla which were seized by Israeli forces, reacts after arriving at Istanbul Airport on a special flight, in Istanbul, Turkey, October 4, 2025. RE

Some 137 activists detained by Israel arrive in Turkey after being deported, with two alleging that the Swedish campaigner was mistreated during her detention. Israel's foreign ministry describes reports that detainees had been mistreated as 'complete lies.'

Freed activists allege Greta Thunberg mistreated in Israeli custody

ISLAMABAD: More than 400 pro-Palestinian activists aboard 41 vessels in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were detained by Israeli naval forces after a 12-hour operation, an Israeli official said Thursday, according to AFP. &ldquo;In an operation that lasted roughly 12 hours, Israeli Navy personnel foiled a large-scale incursion attempt by hundreds of individuals aboard 41 vessels that had declared their intention to breach the legal maritime security blockade on the Gaza Strip,&rdquo; the official said. The detainees, more than 400 in total, were taken to the port of Ashdod for processing, Israeli authorities confirmed. Organizers of the voyage, the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), said 443 volunteers were aboard, some transferred onto a cargo vessel before being brought ashore, Reuters reported. Netanyahu praises interceptionPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the naval operation, saying it had prevented &ldquo;dozens of vessels from entering the war zone&rdquo; and had &ldquo;repelled a campaign of delegitimisation against Israel.&rdquo; The interception took place on Yom Kippur, Israel&rsquo;s holiest day. The GSF began its voyage last month with around 45 vessels carrying politicians, activists, and rights campaigners, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The United Nations has warned that famine has taken hold in Gaza. The Israeli navy intercepted vessels throughout Wednesday and Thursday, warning participants against entering what it described as blockade waters. Thunberg&rsquo;s boat was among those halted. Deportations to Europe plannedIsrael&rsquo;s foreign ministry said the activists would be deported to Europe, posting photos of Thunberg and others aboard a yacht. &ldquo;Hamas-Sumud passengers on their yachts are making their way safely and peacefully to Israel, where their deportation procedures to Europe will begin,&rdquo; the ministry said on X. Global ReactionsRights group Amnesty International condemned the interception as &ldquo;an act of intimidation intended to punish and silence critics of Israel&rsquo;s genocide and its unlawful blockade on Gaza.&rdquo; Turkey called the move &ldquo;an act of terrorism&rdquo; and opened an investigation after Turkish nationals were detained. Spain summoned Israel&rsquo;s top envoy in Madrid, noting 65 Spaniards were on board, while prosecutors launched a probe into possible crimes against humanity. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum demanded the &ldquo;immediate&rdquo; repatriation of six Mexican nationals, stressing they had &ldquo;committed no crime.&rdquo;&nbsp; South Africa also called for the release of all detainees, including Mandla Mandela, grandson of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. Israel has previously blocked flotilla attempts in June and July this year.

Pro-Palestinian activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were detained by Israel, sparking international condemnation. Nations including Turkey, Spain, and South Africa demanded activist releases, while Israel has defended enforcing its maritime blockade.

Over 400 Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel

A screengrab from a livestream shows Israeli navy forces aboard the Gaza-bound vessel Florida, part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which organizers say was intercepted Oct. 2, 2025. (Global Sumud Flotilla via Reuters)

Israeli naval forces intercept the Global Sumud Flotilla about 70 nautical miles off Gaza, boarding Alma, Sirius, and Adara, detaining activists including Greta Thunberg and Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan. Twenty-one vessels are confirmed intercepted, 19 assumed, and four still sailing or under legal support.

Pakistan 'strongly condemns' Israel for interception of Global Sumud Flotilla 

Activists on board a flotilla of vessels sailing toward Gaza said they were prepared for the Israel navy to intervene as they approached the besieged Palestinian territory on Wednesday after a tense night in the Mediterranean Sea. The Global Sumud Flotilla, with Greta Thunberg aboard, consists of about 50 boats and 500 activists and is carrying a symbolic amount of aid. It has remained undeterred in its mission to break the Israeli blockade of the coastal strip and reach Palestinians. &ldquo;Every minute we advance a little more,&rdquo; Thiago &Aacute;vila, one of the flotilla leaders and spokespeople, told reporters Wednesday in an online news conference from aboard the Alma, one of the flotilla&#39;s motherships. The ships were sailing in international waters north of Egypt on Wednesday morning and had entered what activists call a &ldquo;danger zone&rdquo; &mdash; which Israeli authorities had warned them not to cross and where the Israeli navy had stopped attempts by other flotillas in the past. Overnight, the activists said two Israeli warships aggressively approached two of their boats, circling around them and jamming their communications, including the live cameras on board. &ldquo;It was an intimidation act, they wanted us to see them,&rdquo; said Lisi Proen&ccedil;a, another activist who was on board the Sirius, a vessel that was targeted alongside the Alma. After the close encounter overnight, the military vessels eventually left and the flotilla continued on its journey, broadcasting live cameras from many of its boats. If undisturbed, it was to reach the shores of Gaza by Thursday morning, the group said. However, activists said that was unlikely and that they were expecting Israeli authorities to try to stop them at any moment, as they have done in past attempts. European governments, including Spain and Italy which had sent their navy ships to escort the flotilla during part of its journey, urged the activists to turn back and avoid confrontation. Italy has warned flotilla organizers that Israel would consider their incursion beyond the &ldquo;danger zone&rdquo; as a &ldquo;hostile act.&rdquo;

A drone picture shows a flotilla of humanitarian boats led by French activist Melissa, dubbed the “Thousand Madleens,” departing from the Sicilian port of San Giovanni li Cuti in Catania, Italy September 27, 2025. (Reuters)

A flotilla of 50 boats with 500 activists, including Greta Thunberg, sails toward Gaza with symbolic aid despite warnings from Israel. Activists reported intimidation by Israeli warships overnight and expect interception as they near the blockade zone

Activists on Flotilla approach Gaza, ready for Israeli interception

Reuters

ROME: The international flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza reported on Wednesday that several of its boats were approached by unidentified vessels, some of which were navigating without lights. The Global Sumud Flotilla stated in a Telegram post that the vessels have departed, and participants have implemented security protocols in anticipation of a possible interception. The development comes a day after the Italian defense ministry said its navy would stop following the international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza once it gets within 150 nautical miles (278 km) of the shore. The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of more than 40 civilian boats carrying parliamentarians, lawyers, and activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, aims to break Israel&#39;s blockade of the Palestinian enclave. Once the convoy reaches the 150 nautical miles limit, the Italian frigate accompanying it will stop, &quot;as communicated several times in recent days,&quot; the ministry said in a statement. The ship will issue two warnings to activists, with the second and final one expected at around 00:00 GMT, when the flotilla is anticipated to reach the stated distance, the statement added. Earlier on Tuesday, an Italian spokeswoman for the flotilla, Maria Elena Delia, said that activists had been informed about the government&#39;s plans to have the navy ship stop and turn back to avoid &quot;a diplomatic incident&quot; with Israel. She said the flotilla had no intention of heeding Italy&#39;s warnings not to get closer to the shore. Italy and Spain deployed navy vessels last week to assist the flotilla, after it was hit by drones armed with stun grenades and irritants in international waters off Greece, but without any intention to engage militarily. Delia said activists were bracing for another strike in the coming hours. &quot;Israel will probably attack us tonight, because all the signals point to this happening,&quot; she said in a video on Instagram. Israel did not respond to flotilla accusations that it was behind last week&#39;s attacks, but it has vowed to use any means to prevent the boats from reaching Gaza, arguing that its blockade is legal as part of its war against Hamas militants. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has said he expects flotilla boats to be intercepted in the open sea and activists to face arrest. On Tuesday, Crosetto made a &quot;last appeal&quot; to flotilla members to accept a compromise proposal to drop aid in Cyprus and avoid a confrontation with Israeli forces. Flotilla representatives have repeatedly refused the offer. Israel began its Gaza offensive after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken as hostages, according to Israeli tallies. The offensive has since killed over 66,000 Palestinians, Gaza health authorities say.

Asia

Vessels later departed and flotilla participants implemented security protocols in anticipation of a possible interception.

Gaza flotilla says unlit vessels approached its boats, prompting security measures

ISLAMABAD: Organisers of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists said late Tuesday they heard explosions and saw multiple drones that targeted some of their boats, currently situated off Greece, AFP reported. &quot;Multiple drones, unidentified objects dropped, communications jammed and explosions heard from a number of boats,&quot; the Global Sumud Flotilla said in a statement, without adding whether there were any casualties. &quot;We are witnessing these psychological operations firsthand, right now, but we will not be intimidated,&quot; the statement said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1970612507057217867&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=ef235de2b6ecd5e0e1ae8a1a8b8dfb4570691669&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 719px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1970612507057217867"></iframe></div></div>German human rights activist and flotilla member Yasemin Acar said in a video she posted on Instagram that five vessels had been attacked. &lsquo;Only humanitarian aid&rsquo;&quot;We are carrying only humanitarian aid,&quot; she said. &quot;We have no weapons. We pose no threat to anyone. It is Israel who is killing thousands of people (and) starving a whole population.&quot; In an earlier video, Acar said the activists had &quot;sighted 15 to 16 drones&quot;, adding that their radios had been jammed as loud music could be heard. One video posted by the flotilla&#39;s official Instagram page showed an explosion it said it recorded from the Spectre boat at &quot;01:43 GMT +3&quot;.<div class="fr-embed"><blockquote class="instagram-media" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO9k0ENCPh4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="font-size: 18px; color: rgb(0, 115, 230);" target="_blank"><div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px; line-height: 2;"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; width: 50px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style="color: rgb(56, 151, 240); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 2;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); line-height: 2;"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="width: 0px; height: 0px; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); line-height: 2;"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px); line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px); line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="width: 0px; height: 0px; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); line-height: 2;"> </div></div></div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px; line-height: 2;"> </div></div></a><p style="color: rgb(201, 200, 205); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO9k0ENCPh4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="font-size: 18px; color: rgb(0, 115, 230);" target="_blank">A post shared by Global Sumud Flotilla (@globalsumudflotilla)</a></div></blockquote></div>In another video posted by the same page, Brazilian activist Thiago Avila said four boats had been &quot;targeted with drones throwing devices&quot; just before another explosion was heard in the background. The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Barcelona earlier this month with the aim of breaking Israel&#39;s blockade of Gaza and delivering aid to the territory. 51 vesselsIt currently numbers 51 vessels, most of which are situated off the Greek island of Crete. It had already been targeted in two suspected drone attacks in Tunisia, where its boat had been anchored before resuming its voyage towards Gaza. Among its high-profile participants is environmental activist Greta Thunberg. Israel said Monday it would not allow the boats to reach Gaza. Israel blocked two earlier attempts by activists to reach Gaza by sea in June and July, AFP reported. The BBC on September 10 reported, two vessels that were part of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists including Greta Thunberg were struck in separate suspected drone attacks. Global Sumud Flotilla posted footage appearing to show the first boat being hit by an object outside the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said.<div class="fr-embed"><blockquote class="instagram-media" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOXaR_MiOZ_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="font-size: 18px; color: rgb(0, 115, 230);" target="_blank"><div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px; line-height: 2;"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; width: 50px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style="color: rgb(56, 151, 240); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 2;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); line-height: 2;"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="width: 0px; height: 0px; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); line-height: 2;"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px); line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px); line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="width: 0px; height: 0px; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); line-height: 2;"> </div></div></div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px; line-height: 2;"> </div><div style="background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px; line-height: 2;"> </div></div></a><p style="color: rgb(201, 200, 205); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOXaR_MiOZ_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="font-size: 18px; color: rgb(0, 115, 230);" target="_blank">A post shared by Global Sumud Flotilla (@globalsumudflotilla)</a></div></blockquote></div>Israel has come under huge international pressure over its war in Gaza, which has sparked a dire humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory, AFP reported. Last month, a body backed by the United Nations officially declared famine in part of Gaza. And on September 16, UN investigators accused Israel of committing &quot;genocide&quot; in the besieged territory.

Activists on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla reported drone attacks, explosions, and communication jamming near Greece. The flotilla, aiming to break Israel’s blockade, continues despite prior attacks and Israeli threats to block entry.

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