Gaza Flotilla Organiser's Alleged Hamas Links Debated

Zaher Birawi, a Palestinian-British journalist and campaigner, was a key organizer of the Gaza-bound aid flotilla carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists, which was seized by Israeli forces enforcing a naval blockade. Birawi, a founding member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, has faced repeated accusations in the UK Parliament and by Israeli authorities of being a Hamas operative, though he denies any ties to terrorism or illegal activity. He has been photographed with Hamas leaders and leads organizations that Israel has labeled as terrorist-linked, but has received UK compensation for being wrongly listed on a terrorism watch list, with no legal finding against him. The flotilla's interception and detention of Thunberg and other activists have sparked calls from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition for international intervention to secure their release. The incident has reignited debate in the UK over national security and concerns about alleged Hamas affiliates operating in the country. Birawi and his organizations continue to assert their advocacy is solely for Palestinian rights.