Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar alleged on Thursday that the Gaza Aid flotilla was secretly financed and operated by Hamas, utilizing shell companies and directing activities through one of the group's operatives. The claims were made at a conference countering left-wing terrorism in Washington, D.C., chaired by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Saar stated that internal Hamas documents, seized by the Israeli Defense Forces, indicate that the terrorist organization provided financing, operational involvement, and covert ownership of the flotilla's vessels through a Spanish shell company. He further asserted that the Muslim Brotherhood, in conjunction with Hamas, funded and directed the flotilla via similar corporate structures. Saar identified Zaher Birawi, founder of the International Freedom Flotilla Coalition, as a Hamas agent. According to Saar, Hamas documents signed by former leader Ismail Haniyeh in 2021 designate Birawi as an operative for the terrorist group. The U.S. Treasury had previously sanctioned Birawi and another organization he founded, the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, in January for alleged links to Hamas.
"Senior Hamas activists are running these campaigns from Britain and other Western capitals," Saar said, characterizing the flotilla's actions as "whitewashing of terrorism" and an effort to "give legitimacy and civilian cover to terrorist organizations and their goals."
Saar also presented images of a flotilla activist, Thiago Avila, attending the funeral of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah was killed in a September 2024 Israeli airstrike. Avila has faced accusations of sexual misconduct from multiple activist groups involved with the flotilla. Saar displayed images showing Avila with activist Greta Thunberg.
The International Freedom Flotilla Coalition is among the groups involved with the Global Sumud Flotilla, which has made repeated attempts to sail to Gaza during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.