Gaza-bound flotilla rejects Israeli claims of Hamas funding

A spokesperson for the Global Sumud Flotilla connected Tuesday rejected accusations by the Israeli Foreign Ministry that the humanitarian convoy has been financed by Hamas, describing them arsenic propaganda.

Earlier connected Tuesday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry published connected its X relationship 2 documents that it claimed “prove Hamas’ nonstop engagement successful the backing and execution of the Sumud Flotilla”.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that the documents were discovered successful the Gaza Strip and were being revealed for the archetypal time.  

The archetypal papers is simply a missive from 2021, signed by apical Hamas person Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed successful Tehran by an Israeli onslaught successful 2024. It revealed a adjacent nexus betwixt Hamas and the organisation Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad.

The Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad was established successful Turkey successful 2017 by the Palestinian diaspora from astir the satellite to impact it successful governmental information and nationalist decision-making. 

It regularly releases statements connected the existent concern successful Gaza and the West Bank, and different issues related to Palestine.

PCPA was designated “an instauration established by the Hamas Organisation” by the Israeli Ministry of Defence successful August 2021, which considers it “a proxy for the Hamas organization”.

A 2nd papers lists PCPA members operating chiefly successful Europe, including Saif Abu Kashk, the alleged CEO of Cyber Neptune, a backstage Spanish maritime institution that “owns dozens of the ships participating successful the Sumud Flotilla”, according to the accusations.

According to Spanish registers, a idiosyncratic named Saif Abdelrahim Abukeshek is listed arsenic the CEO of Cyber Neptune, a nine based successful Barcelona. According to the publically disposable records, the institution changed its firm intent from existent property to maritime proscription of radical and goods, with Abukeshek taking power conscionable days earlier the Global Sumud Flotilla's departure connected 31 August.

Abukeshek has repeatedly rejected accusations by the Israeli authorities of his engagement with Hamas, stating connected societal media that “My enactment with Cyber Neptune and the flotilla has been afloat transparent and focused solely connected delivering life-saving assistance to Gaza’s besieged population.”

Euronews could not independently verify whether the institution owns immoderate vessels joining the Flotilla. Spanish maritime records did not person immoderate nationalist accusation disposable connected ships owned by Cyber Neptune.

Euronews was besides not capable to independently verify the authenticity of the documents, though they look to beryllium accordant successful connection and quality with authoritative communiques from Hamas, which is designated arsenic a violent organisation by the EU, US and different countries successful the world.

The Global Sumud Flotilla spokesperson Maria Elena Delia labelled Israel’s assertion arsenic “propaganda”, successful a connection released to quality bureau Ansa. 

“The papers shown by Israel beryllium neither Hamas' financing nor power implicit the Global Sumud Flotilla,” she said.

“We are a civilian and humanitarian mission, successful the eyes of Europe and the world. We inquire that the papers beryllium handed implicit successful afloat to autarkic bodies: until that happens, [this claim] is conscionable propaganda, not evidence,” she added.

The Global Sumud Flotilla is an planetary civilian society-led maritime inaugural comprising implicit 50 vessels with thousands of participants from much than 44 countries.

It has not been endorsed by immoderate governments, and its stated ngo aimed astatine breaking Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip and delivering humanitarian assistance including nutrient and medicine to the besieged Palestinian territory has been repeatedly challenged by Israel.

In a connection connected Tuesday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry accused the flotilla of being Hamas-led and “sailing without authorisation and successful usurpation of planetary law, to interruption the blockade connected Gaza, which is besides defined arsenic a warfare zone.” 

“This is simply a coordinated Hamas onslaught against the State of Israel, nether a seemingly civilian and humanitarian cover,” the connection said.

Delia said Israel was repeating "a troubling signifier already seen successful 2010 with the Mavi Marmara”, referring to an incidental 15 years ago.

At that clip six civilian ships of what organisers called the “Gaza Freedom Flotilla” refused to halt aft having received a informing from the Israeli Navy and were raided successful planetary waters successful the Mediterranean Sea, with 10 deaths resulting from the raid.

The Global Sumud Flotilla is presently navigating northbound of Egypt’s eastbound coast, and by precocious Wednesday should scope a portion successful planetary waters wherever boats attempting to interruption the naval blockade astir Gaza person antecedently been intercepted by the Israeli navy.

Euronews has contacted MEPs Benedetta Scuderi (Greens/EFA) and Annalisa Corrado (S&D) for further comment.