UPDATE: Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is facing intense backlash after using an image of Evyatar David, an Israeli hostage, in an Instagram post addressing the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. The post, which has been edited to remove the image, has drawn sharp criticism for its insensitivity and perceived exploitation of an Israeli hostage’s plight.
The controversy erupted after Thunberg shared a slide featuring David, who has been held by Hamas since the October 7, 2023 terror attacks. The post claimed, “The suffering of Palestinian prisoners is not a matter of opinion — it is a fact of systemic cruelty and dehumanization.” It included multiple images, including one of David, who appears frail and distressed in a still frame from a Hamas propaganda video.
The situation escalated as Yeela David, Evyatar’s sister, publicly condemned Thunberg’s actions, urging her to “do research before posting things you don’t understand.” She further criticized Thunberg for not deleting the post, stating, “every minute you are not deleting the post, you are becoming a bigger joke. Embarrassing.”
The now-edited post was part of a collaborative effort with other activists and organizations, including the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. It aimed to raise awareness about the conditions faced by detainees, but many have labeled it as a misrepresentation of the ongoing conflict.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs weighed in, posting a screenshot of the deleted image alongside a zoomed-in version of David’s photo. “Ignorance blinded by hate is trending,” the ministry stated on X, condemning Thunberg for using an image of a starved, abused hostage to make her point.
In the post, Thunberg and her collaborators claimed that over 11,000 Palestinian “hostages and prisoners” are held under inhumane conditions. The discourse shifted rapidly, with users criticizing the post’s misleading implications. Comments flooded in, with many expressing outrage over the use of David’s image to illustrate a narrative that some believe undermines the severity of his situation.
Thunberg, known for her climate activism, has recently become an outspoken critic of Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, participating in multiple Gaza-bound aid flotillas. These flotillas were intercepted by Israeli forces, heightening tensions around her activism.
As the situation develops, the ramifications of Thunberg’s post continue to unfold, prompting discussions on the ethics of activism and representation in conflict zones.
NEXT: Watch for further reactions from both sides, as this controversy highlights the complexities of humanitarian messaging in politically charged environments.