The Global Sumud Flotilla has released a statement regarding sexual assault rumours on the fleet of boats headed to Gaza. The rumours began to circulate almost immediately after the flotilla set sail for Gaza.
Global Sumud Flotilla calls sexual allegations rumours ‘narrative warfare 101’
In a post on X, the flotilla released a statement that criticised the allegations of sexual assault on the fleet headed towards Gaza. It criticised the New York Post for its report on the issue, calling it “narrative warfare.
The statement claimed what the New York Post found was not a scandal, but rather the bottom of their own editorial barrel. It called the news outlet a ‘mouthpiece for anti-Palestinian propaganda.’
Furthermore, the flotilla claims the New York Post attacked its mission because it is a threat to the news outlet’s silence about Gaza. It calls the news outlet a participant in the ecosystem of misinformation for its alleged under-reportage of the genocidal atrocities in Gaza.
“They ignored the facts of our investigation. They ignored the findings of the Ethics Committee. Why? Because the truth doesn’t sell papers, and it certainly doesn’t serve their political masters. They prefer graphic tropes and sexualised clickbait over humanitarian reality,” the statement read.
Moreover, the Global Sumud Flotilla calls the rumours an attempt to force them into a defensive crouch so they stop focusing on Gaza.
It has, however, said that the Flotilla holds itself to the highest standards of care and accountability. The flotilla still sails on.
The iconic Greenpeace ship, Arctic Sunrise, and an Open Arms boat have also joined the fleet headed towards challenging the Israeli blockade of aid in Gaza. These ships will provide essential technical support to the fleet.
According to the real-time flotilla tracker, as of April 20 (09:11 UTC), the flotilla is still on the Mediterranean Sea but now near Tunis. There are 39 active boats now sailing on the mission.
The New York Post report raised allegations of sexual assault
On April 18, the New York Post published a story that highlighted rumours of sexual misconduct on the flotilla. The rumours implicated a flotilla leader in sexual misconduct with three volunteers.
The Post attributed the rumours to one Palestinian group, Heart of Falastin. According to the report, a Brazilian group identified the leader involved as Thiago Avila.
However, the report compiled information that different organisations seemed to have provided. It also highlighted social media posts made by those on board the flotilla.