Zaher Birawi, linked to Hamas, is named as the key organiser of Gaza aid mission carrying Greta Thunberg

Fresh controversy erupted on Monday as British newspaper The Telegraph revealed that Zaher Birawi, a London-based figure designated by Israel as a Hamas operative, played a key role in organising the Gaza-bound aid ship Madleen, which recently carried Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

Birawi, a Palestinian-British journalist, describes himself as a founding member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition — the group behind the Madleen mission. The vessel attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza but was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters early Monday morning. The Israel Defence Forces detained the 12 activists onboard, including Thunberg, before starting the process of deporting them.

Birawi was present at the launch of the Madleen in Sicily, where he livestreamed the event, proudly documenting the vessel’s departure on social media.

Both Israeli and British authorities have previously flagged Birawi for alleged Hamas ties. The Telegraph reports that Birawi’s name has come up in both the Israeli Knesset and UK Parliament, where he has been accused of links to the Palestinian militant group.

Labour MP Christian Wakeford raised Birawi’s name in the House of Commons in October 2023. “He is listed as a trustee of a UK-registered charity, Education Aid for Palestinians,” Wakeford stated. “Publicly available video shows him hosting a 2019 event in London titled Understanding Hamas.”

In 2013, Israel officially designated Birawi as a Hamas operative in Europe. Eight years later, in 2021, Israel went a step further by labelling the EuroPal Forum — of which Birawi is chairman — as a terror organisation.

Photographs have also surfaced of Birawi meeting with former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Haniyeh was killed in a targeted airstrike in Gaza in July 2024, a strike which Israel claimed was part of its ongoing campaign to dismantle Hamas leadership.

Despite the repeated allegations, Birawi has consistently denied any involvement in terrorism or illegal activities. In 2021, he successfully sued a financial database that had erroneously included him on a terrorism list. Speaking at the time, Birawi stated: “There has never been any legal sentence passed against me by any official authority in any state anywhere in the world, and I have never been found to have been involved in any illegal acts which could be deemed within the scope of terrorism crimes.”

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, of which Birawi is a prominent member, has long organised attempts to breach Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza. The Madleen voyage was its latest effort to deliver aid directly by sea, sidestepping Israeli and Egyptian checkpoints. The group claims its missions are humanitarian, while critics argue they serve to challenge Israeli security policies and may provide cover for political messaging aligned with Hamas.

Israel’s seizure of the Madleen and detention of its passengers has fuelled international debate. Supporters hail the activists’ determination to deliver aid to Gaza amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis, while Israeli authorities insist the naval blockade is a necessary security measure to prevent weapons smuggling into the Hamas-controlled enclave.

Greta Thunberg’s involvement added global attention to the voyage. The young Swedish climate activist has increasingly voiced support for the Palestinian cause, drawing both praise and criticism from political leaders worldwide.

As deportations proceed and diplomatic tensions simmer, Birawi’s central role in the flotilla operation has reignited concerns in London and Jerusalem over the blurred lines between humanitarian activism and political agendas tied to proscribed organisations.

The Telegraph’s revelations are likely to intensify scrutiny on the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and its organisers, especially given Israel’s firm stance that Hamas operatives continue to operate internationally under various guises.